One Pony's Tale: The Drake Chronicles Vol 4: Drake's Greatest Case
by Dr-Lovekill
Summary: Part 4 of the series. Drake and Dash, now detectives in the employ of Celestia are on the trail of a dangerous band of international diamond smugglers who may start a war between Equestria and Maretania. Amid murder, organized crime and political intrigue, Drake discovers something far more shocking: he has a sibling he never knew about. Rated for language and violence.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

 _Hello everypony! After a long hiatus, I'm back with more of the Drake Chronicles, and I'm sure many of you had just about given up hope. If you haven't read the first three stories in the series, please go do so now. You won't be disappointed, and it will put a great deal into context for you. If you're too lazy, that's fine. As I mentioned in previous volumes, these stories can be read as separate, stand-alone works. You must also check out a recent story by ShadowBudder239. Her work plays into this story, as does her OC, as you will see. This Volume is a bit different than the previous three, and I did say that Drake's life would change a great deal in the next couple stories. That said, I hope you all enjoy this volume, and continue to follow Drake's saga._

 _This volume is dedicated to my little girl. Thanks for getting me into MLP, Budder. And thanks for keeping the boat afloat. We're family, and we will prevail, angel._

 _On with the story. Please send me reviews._

The gray earth pony sat at a table outside of the cafe, sipping his coffee nervously. He glanced at the large clock across the street at least every twenty seconds, as if his very life were tied in with the slow movement of the hands of the clock. If you could look at somepony, and just know they were up to something, it was this stallion. Two tables down, the only other patron in the outdoor patio area of the small cafe sat, a light blue earth pony mare, wearing a floppy, wide-brimmed hat trimmed with spring flowers, and a pair of red-rimmed sunglasses. The young mare seemed oblivious to the devious antics of the other diner as she sipped her tea and read a book.

Suddenly, another pony approached the stallion's table. This newcomer was a sable-colored stallion with a dark blue mane and tail. He wore dark sunglasses and carried a brown attache bag. Suspicious pony number two glanced around cautiously before taking a seat across the table from suspicious pony number one. After a few moments, he spoke.

"How are the children?" The sunglasses-wearing stranger asked.

"Well. They are well." The gray stallion replied. "I just have to pay the foalsitter."

"Do you have the money?"

"Of course...here." The nervous stranger said, pushing a rolled-up newspaper across the small round table. The newcomer grinned, and slid the briefcase under the table.

"Treat them well, my friend." He muttered. "The children are very precious, you know?"

"And I will make sure they get back to their new home safely."

"Um...excuse me...sir?" A voice spoke. The two stallions paused, and looked over to see the blue mare in the hat standing by their table, and innocent smile on her face.

"Whaddya need?" The sable pony asked irritably.

"Hum? Oh...quick question," She replied. "Do you have the time, please?"

"Clock's over there.." The angry stallion answered. "...ya know, on the _clock tower_?!"

"Oh...heh...silly me." The mare giggled. "Oh, and are those the stolen Maretanian blood diamonds?" She asked innocently.

"What the..." The stallion in the sunglasses growled, slowly rising to his hooves. The mare tossed off her glasses and her hat to reveal a rainbow-colored mane, and deviously-narrowed magenta eyes.

"Gotcha!" She said happily, spun around, and bucked the stallion across the patio. He landed on his side with a pained grunt, then jumped to his hooves and hurled a nearby chair, which the rainbow-haired pony easily dodged. She galloped toward him, then leaped into the air nimbly, and sent all four of her hooves crashing into him, sending the criminal into a cart of pies. The nervous criminal, seeing an opportunity to escape during the chaos, grabbed the briefcase in his teeth and galloped away as fast as legs could carry him. He got to the row of bushes bordering the cafe, but no further. He stopped dead in his tracks, looking cross-eyed at the tip of my dragoon sabre. I grinned at the diamond thief.

"I would surrender now...just a friendly piece of advice." I stated cooly.

"Eheheh..." The thief chuckled nervously.

"The diamonds, Back Alley." I said, now more seriously. He opened his mouth, letting the briefcase drop to the ground. With a sigh, he sat down on his haunches in defeat. "Good call." I said. "Dash?"

"Harumf!" She called back, pulling taut the rope she'd just hog-tied the other pony with. She grinned at me. "Who da pony?"

"Aww damnit, you got the tough one. No fair." I fake-pouted.

"Well you got the diamonds!" Dashie pointed out.

"Oh, so I did." I innocently remarked, rolling my eyes. "Oh, almost forgot...come on fellas, they're all yours!" At that, several ponies in black ties and dark sunglasses materialized out of the surroundings where they had been concealed. Two of them moved to each subdued criminal and began the process of arresting them properly, while the others secured the loot in the attache bag. From the throng of official ponies stepped a well-groomed gray earth stallion with handcuff cutiemarks. He trotted up to us and lowered his dark Brayban sunglasses on his snout.

"Detective Drake...detective Dash." He greeted formally.

"Agent Shakleford, good to see you outside of the Hoofer Building for a change."

"Hum." The agent muttered, unamused. "Good work, you two...capturing Shady Deals and Back Alley. We've been after these two and the diamonds for weeks.

"Aw, no big." Dash replied nonchalantly.

"Well...I'm sure that you will have the appreciation of Princess Celestia yet again for this one, Drake." Shackleford groaned, rolling his dark gray eyes.

"Chin up, Agent Shackleford," I replied. "I'm just glad we could help the agency with its little problem." Shackleford stared at me a moment.

"Yeah, alright...I'll admit it, our agencies working together was the right thing to do, and it worked to our mutual benefits, you happy?" The EBI special agent gave a cynical smile.

"Now _that's_ something to put in a friendship report." Dash laughed.

"Dashie...friendsh...oh lord..." I sighed. "Ugh...anyway, good working with you, Agent Shackleford." I said. He pushed his signature sunglasses back up on his face.

"You too, lieutenant." He said professionally. The EBI agent turned and walked back toward his field agents.

"Come on, sweetheart, we're done here." I sighed. We turned and walked away from the scene, where it was obvious that our part in the work was finished. I nudged Dash gently, and she turned towards me. "You did good." I said. She gave me a cocky grin.

"What did ya expect?" She replied.

"Well...I dunooooo..." I said, pretending to be deep in thought. "Your attack back there was...I dunno...only about, say 17... _maybe_ 18 percent cooler..."

"Oh shut up!" Dash exclaimed, giving me a playful shove. "Oh and 'I would surrender now...' what was that? I swear, sometimes I think you believe you're some kind of action hero or something."

"Well, maybe I am." I replied smartly. "And you're my intrepid sidekick." Dashie facehooved at that.

"Have you been reading my Daring Do books?" She groaned.

"Why would I?" I answered. "Daring's got nothing on my Dashie."

"Aww Draaaake." Dash squeaked. I sneaked her a quick kiss on the cheek, one of my little 'thanks for being awesome' rewards.

"Want to grab some dinner?" I asked, before we could get too mushy.

"Sure, I could eat." Replied Dashie. "What were you thinking?" Oh boy, this was too good...I couldn't resist bringing up our very first date.

"Flaaaaapjaaaacks." I drawled in my best hillbilly-sounding voice. Dash stared at me a moment with wide eyes, then I saw the edges of her lips turn up in a smile. She snorted, cupped her hooves over her mouth, and erupted with laughter.

"Ohhhh no...no, no, no..." She laughed. "Not...the pancakes...Draaake..."

"Haha...couldn't resist." I chuckled.

"You can be _so_ immature!"

"Only with you, Dashie." I said lovingly. She smiled sweetly.

"Mmm, Drake." She whispered.

"Okay...revision, dinner, then home." I grinned. She blushed.

"Oh, you're on." She taunted coyly.

We took our seats in the diner, sitting across the table from each other, still relieved about solving the case we'd been working so hard on for nearly two weeks. Two weeks of stakeouts, observing, intelligence gathering, all of which had kept us away from home and out in the field. Now, we relished the opportunity to just kick back and relax. We picked up the menus and gave them a quick once over.

"What can I get ya?" A mare in a pink apron, obviously our waitress was standing by our table. She was a pale teal color, with a brown mane in a beehive hairdo, wore dated blue eyeglasses, and was wearing a pair of awful pineapple earrings worthy of noting. I glanced at her nametag. It read 'Flow'.

"Hayburger and fries." Dash said. "And a large iced tea, extra sweet."

"Sure thing, sugar." The waitresspony named Flow said. "And fer you, hon?" I grinned at Dashie.

"Oui, madamoiselle...L'un honey fried hay sandwich, on rye veuillez ...um, pardon moi, ami...could you eh...saute le potatoes with mushrooms et add a bit of vinagrette?" I said in a thick accent.

"I...I guess that's be alright, sir." The waitress replied. "And to drink?"

"L'un cafe au lait." I smiled.

"Coffee with milk?" Flow asked.

"Oui, absoulement." I replied, smiling innocently. "Merci beaucoup." The waitress forced a polite smile and walked away. Dash was snickering into her forelegs.

"What the hay was that?" She finally asked.

"Couldn't help it." I said with a small laugh. "I order the most bizarre, random things at restaurants."

"Well I know _that_." Dash replied. "But were you just speaking...Prench?"

"Oh, that...heheh, yeah...I speak a little Prench, why?" I answered.

"That's actually pretty cool." Dashie said.

"You think so?" I asked seriously.

"Uh, totally! Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Eh. Didn't think it was that important." I replied. "I mean, I speak a little Prench, some Mexicolt I learned out west, it's just...a thing, I guess."

"Your drinks, folks." Flow declared, setting our beverages before us.

"Merci." I said with a smile. The waitress just trotted off to the next table.

"So, where'd you learn to speak in Prench?" Dashie inquired, taking a sip of her sweet tea.

"My father was from Prance. My...biological father, I mean." I stated. "I figured I'd learn, you know?"

"Your...father?"

"Mm...oh yeah, I guess I never mentioned him..."

"Drake...sweetie, you've never really talked about your real family at all." Dash replied. "I just never wanted to...you know..." I sighed, and took a sip of coffee. Too weak.

"Well Dashie...maybe I should." I said. We were far beyond my whole secret past thing at this point, or should have been long ago anyway. Why not? I guess I owed it to her.

"Drake?"

"Alright...my father was a military officer from Prance." I began.

"Wow."

"Yeah, well...he knocked up my mother, who was a well-to-do mare from Canterlot. He'd been sent there as a diplomat, and the whole thing could have been a scandal, so they made a choice, I guess."

"Wait...they adopted you off?" Dash asked in surprise.

"Heh. Not exactly. More like _dropped_ me off. In a basket. With a bag of gold coins and a note, no less. Pretty cliché, right? Well, fortunately they picked the right door to leave me at. Silver Cutlass took me in and raised me as his own."

"Drake..." Dash whispered, touching my right hoof with hers comfortingly.

"It's okay...really."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I never really knew them, so I can't hate them or anything. I don't know if I even felt bad when I found out that they'd died." I said.

"What?!" Dashie exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, my parents are both dead. They ended up getting married after they ditched me from what I hear, and about ten years ago, the ship they were on went down in a storm on its way to Prance."

"How did you find out?" Dashie asked, still sounding concerned. I sighed.

When I was twenty, my last year at academy...right before graduation, actually, I thought about tracking down my real parents. Dunno why really, I mean...what was I gonna do, drop in for a visit? 'Hi, surprise! Guess who?'".

"Geez Drake..."

"Well, I went searching during my breaks. Heh. Silver Cutlass had figured it out long before, of course. I guess he had his ways. He gave me the names, and...well...I guess I was a couple months too late..."

"I...I don't know what to say..." Dash muttered.

"Don't worry about it. I don't." I said. Dashie still looked a bit down. I smiled at her. "I have you now, right?"

"Yeah."

"Food's ready, folks." The waitress announced, placing our plates before us. I nodded politely. "Need a refill?"

"Oui madamoiselle." I nodded, keeping up my ruse halfheartedly. She poured more coffee into my mug before leaving to wait on the other patrons in the small diner. I eyed my food eagerly, the aroma making my mouth water. I glanced back at Dashie. "Thank Celestia...real food." I grinned. "Dig in!"

 _So ends chapter one. What did you think? I would love to hear from you, my loyal readers. I will try to have chapter two up in the next couple days if I can. On weekdays, expect a chapter a day to be the norm. Until next chapter, thanks for reading, everypony! -Drake_


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

 _I'm back with chapter 2, everypony! This chapter won't be as long as the last, and serves to kind of set the scene for how Drake and Dash are living now, and gives some backstory to what they've been doing since Volume 3. I hope you enjoy. Please send me reviews._

Dash and I stepped into our house on the outskirts of the city as the light faded in the west. It was a comfortable little home, a three bedroom, two story that Dash and I had fallen in love with as soon as we had seen it. I don't know why, but I had always liked the idea of a house with a separate kitchen and dining room. It was a bit large for our needs maybe, but the spacious manor-style had an appeal we couldn't resist.

After buying the house outright (which had made the real estate agent very happy after she got over her initial shock), We set about molding the huge house to our own needs. We ripped up the awful wall-to-wall carpeting in both of the living rooms at the front of the house, and refinished the hardwood floors. I had converted one of the three upstairs bedrooms into a study of sorts, complete with a couple large shelves to house my collection of books, and what few adventure novels Dash accumulated. Dash had turned a large section of the full-sized basement into a gymnasium, something I felt was really good for her.

Losing her wings had been deeply traumatizing to the former pegasus. Rainbow Dash had built her entire life around being the best flier she could be. She'd had goals of becoming a Wonderbolt, of truly becoming the most awesome flier in all of Equestria. Given her talent and grit, I had believed that she would one day accomplish all of her dreams and more. Then, all of her dreams had been destroyed, severed from reality by a psychotic killer's blade.

It had taken Dash several weeks to even begin to deal with what had happened to her, and longer to cope with her new-found disability. Using some of the money Princess Celestia had bestowed on me for solving the terrible case that had nearly taken Rainbow, I took my marefriend on a long vacation, seeing Equestria and some of the lands beyond. I'd hoped that traveling the world would help her recover, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. At times, it would seem like she was fine, that she was coping well with the terrible events that had befallen her. Then, all of a sudden, she would just break down in my forelegs and cry.

"What am I supposed to do now?" She once cried into my shoulder. "Who am I supposed to be, Drake?"

"You are who you are." I told her. "With or without your wings, you're still the same strong, berautiful, awesome little filly I fell in love with."

"I know that..." She wept. "But what can I even do now?"

"Anything you want." I stated. "We're gonna live it up, and be happy, and never look back, and you're gonna have all sorts of adventures, all without your wings." I kissed her. "I'm here, and I'm here to stay. But it's all up to you, Dashie...to keep fighting, to never give up...to still be you."

After that, Dash became more resolute. She stopped mourning over her injury, and had started coming out of her depression. I did all I could to make her feel valuable, to make her feel loved. I knew that all I could do was give her that support and love, until she could stand on her own again, and in the end, it was Dash who seized the day. She sprang back in ways that made me proud to call her my marefriend.

We found our home in a small town just outside of Manehattan. The center of Equestrian commerce and culture was also a nexus for crime and illicit trade. Princess Celestia had made me a military detective, technically still attached to the cavalry, I was on paper a lieutenant in the Military Police, and a special investigator, but in reality, the princess had written it out so that I answered solely to her. She signed off on the idea of us moving into the house, and Dashie and I moved in immediately. We filled the house with a juxtapose of furniture and décor (bought by both of us) that resembled a well red military pony and a college freshmane had just opened a shop. I had my study, and Dash had her gym in the huge basement, save for a small workspace for my various projects which seldom got finished.

"See if I got a letter from my friends in Ponyville, okay?" Dash called, unzipping the black and blue hooded sweatshirt she habitually wore, mainly to hide the two small nubs on her back. She tossed the jacket onto the back of a sofa as I picked up the stack of mail that had accumulated under the mail slot in our absence.

"Yep...lets see...junk...more junk, bills, my issue of Swords and Spears Monthly, nice! Oh, here Dashie, it looks like you got...two, three letters."

"Woo!" She exclaimed happily. She trotted over and took the three envelopes as I finished sorting through the mail. "Hey Drake!" She said, reading the first letter. "Twilight and the gang says hi, and they'd like to come for a visit sometime soon." I smiled.

"Okay. We'll have to do that. Wanna have them over next weekend?"

"That would be...so...awesome!" She squeaked.

"Hahaha, okay sweetheart, down." I chuckled. Dash tore open the next letter and unfolded the page. I sat the mail into two stacks, bills and junk, and began to leaf through my new magazine.

"Aww, Derpy may be a world-class klutz, but she's pretty cool."

"Hm?" I asked, looking up from my periodical.

"No, she hopes that I'm not mad at her because...you know?"

"Yeah..."

"And she wants to be friends."

"That's sweet of her." I replied. "Who wrote the other letter?"

"Awwww..." Dash said cutely, opening the letter. "It's from Scootaloo." She read the letter with hints of tears in her magenta eyes."Drake, Scoots has to come too. I totally miss that foal." I smiled, and nodded in understanding.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I said. Dash smiled and walked over to me.

"So what did you get?"

"My sword magazine." I replied. Dash sighed.

"Drake...I get like two letters a week from friends and stuff. All you get is bills and junk mail."

"Um...yeah?" I said with a shrug.

"Don't you have, like any friends or family or anything?" She asked. I sighed.

"Please Dash, not this again."

"Drake..." She said softly. "I love you so much. It just worries me, you know? I want you to be happy."

"I know you do." I said, lowering my head. Dash...you always have my best interests in mind, don't you?

"Do you?" She asked again.

"I don't know, honestly. I quit searching after I found out my parents were dead."

"Huh."

"What?" I queried.

"What do you do for a living, Drake?"

"Um...eheh...is this a trick question?"

"Ugh...you hunt ponies! You're a tracker. You're an awesome super-detective."

"Yeah?" I replied, wanting her to get to the point.

"So...detect, Drake. Track." She stated.

"I dunno...maybe I should just leave well enough alone..." I sighed.

"Drake, what if there was somepony out there, a cousin or an aunt or grandparent who didn't even know you existed? Wouldn't that be kind of awesome, to find out that you had a family after all?"

"Ugh, okay...I'll _think_ about it, okay?" I groaned. Dashie giggled.

"Oh, you're so stubborn." She said with a small laugh, nuzzling me affectionately.

"Heh. I'm not stubborn. I'm just always right about everything all the time, remember?"

"Mm. Except when I am, stud." Dash replied, touching the tip of her muzzle to mine gently. I gazed into those beautiful magenta eyes of hers.

"Somepony feeling a little assertive, huh?" I whispered with a sly grin.

"Maybe..." She whispered back, narrowing her eyes playfully.

"Mmm. And maybe I like it when you're assertive." I said.

"Well then...get your flank upstairs, you brave, handsome stallion."

"Heh. As you wish, milady."

 _I will have chapter 3 up probably sunday night or monday afternoon. Drake and Budder weekend and all, and I have a 30 dollar turkey hunting permit I gotta cash in. So I probably won't have much opportunity to write. The next chapter really begins the storyline, so you all have that to look forward to, although chapter 6 is the best in my opinion. You'll see why in good time. Until next time, everypony...thank you so very much for reading, and I look forward to any questions, comments or reviews._


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

 _Hey everypony. Finally got chapter three up for you. Hope you all enjoy this one. The story will pick up in a bit, I promise. Well, here it is. Please review, eh?_

I awoke to the sound of somepony ringing the doorbell. I thought it may be a dream until I heard it again. Whomever was ringing that damned doorbell wanted to make sure I heard them, alright. I blinked several times, and finally glanced over at the alarm clock on the night stand beside the bed. It read 9:30.

"Ugh!" I groaned as the visitor began pounding on the door. I looked over to see Dashie still snoring away, sound asleep. "Glad this isn't disturbing _you_." I muttered, climbing out of bed.

I walked down the stairs, feeling slightly annoyed at the persistent caller. This had better be a damned emergency..." I said to myself as I approached the door. I took hold of the doorknob as the ringing started again. I threw open the door to see a familiar special agent standing on my front porch, wearing his dark sunglasses, even on this overcast morning.

"Hum..." I said, clearing my throat. "Agent Shackleford...to what do I owe this dubious pleasure?" I asked groggily, with a little impatience.

"Lieutenant Drake." Shackleford replied. "I have bad news. May I come in?"

"Now that's a greeting." I quipped cynically. "Come in." I stood aside, and let Shackleford in, closing the door behind him. He followed me into the kitchen, and I immediately put on a pot of coffee.

"You see, lieutenant..." Shackleford began.

"Nope!" I replied.

"Excuse me?!" The EBI agent retorted angrily.

"You woke _me_ up, and I'm going to hear you out, but I need some coffee first, eh?"

"Ugh, fine." Shackleford groaned. I grinned in triumph as Agent Shackleford waited impatiently for the coffee to brew. Once the pot percolated, creating the magical elixir from crushed beans and water, I poured two cups, and sat one in front of the impetuous agent. He scoffed and took a small drink. Suddenly, his eyes went wide behind his shades, and he coughed into his hoof, looking at me incredulously as I took a long swig of my morning brew. I smiled and raised my mug as if in a toast.

Dark roast from Coltlumbia. Strong enough to use as a wood stain." I remarked. "Good, eh?"

"You're strange." Shackleford muttered. He looked at the black liquid inside his mug. "But now I at least know how you have so much energy during investigations..."

"Nah...I'm just that good." I said nonchalantly.

"Hm." Shackleford said dryly. "Now Drake...the Maretanian Blood Diamonds..."

"What about them?" I asked. Shackleford gave me a serious look.

"They're missing." He stated. I paused for a moment, processing this problem for a second, then took another drink of coffee.

"I thought your ponies had them secured." I said. He took off his sunglasses and sat them on the dining table. The gray stallion ran a hoof through his black mane.

"Well...we did." He replied. Seeming to be unsure how to proceed. "Um...the agents transporting the diamonds to headquarters were waylaid. They were killed, and the diamonds were...stolen."

"The criminal ring is bigger than you thought." I stated.

"Yes...yes, it seems so." Shackleford agreed. "And as I said, they have the diamonds now. Those stones, lieutenant, are a major headache to the EBI as well as all of Equestria.

"I know..." I replied. I took a sip of my coffee. "They're worth millions, not to mention that the King of Maretania is getting' royally mad about this whole thing."

"Royal...not funny..." Shackleford commented. I gave a small smirk. "This could start a war, Drake."

"I know that." I replied. I took a sip of coffee. "So, do you have any leads yet?"

"Not yet." He answered. "I thought I'd come here personally and inform you of all this."

"Yep, and I'm sure Princess Celestia is gonna be putting me on this soon anyway." I said. "I'm frankly surprised that her messengers didn't get here before you did."

"So what do you think?" Shackleford asked, somewhat impatiently.

"I think you have a problem on your hooves." I replied. He gave me an exasperated groan. "I'm going to need to see where the agents were ambushed first of all. Gimme a couple of hours, and Dash and I can meet you to start the investigation, alright?"

"Right." Shackleford agreed. "Meet me in the park...the bench by the willow tree at noon."

"Oh, are we spies now?" I grinned. Shackleford stared with little enthusiasm at me after my comment. He picked up his sunglasses and slid them back on his face.

"Ugh...just be there, okay? I'm still not amused by the fact that a detective is dating his assistant."

"Oh, it's alright Rusty...we were dating _before_ we were detectives. It's like a loophole, right?"

"Ugh...I..." Shackleford began. He sighed in frustration. "At least you're a decent detective...the _both_ of you...I _will_ say that." He turned to leave, and stopped at the door. He looked back. "And I will say _only_ that!"

"See you at noon." I said. The EBI agent walked out, closing the door behind him. I stared at the back of the door a little while, transfixed by the possibilities presented by this case. I had questions. Questions of my own. Questions Shackleford probably hadn't even considered. I sighed, and drained the last of the coffee from my mug. Damn. I wanted a day off.

"What was going on, Drake?" Dashie asked, entering the kitchen as she wiped the sleep from her eyes cutely. "Was that Agent Shackleford I heard down here?" She queried. My marefriend glanced around the room and yawned.

"Heh. I'm afraid it was, Dash." I replied. "And he came out here to deliver some...bad news." Dash rolled her eyes.

"Aww. No vacation?" She whined.

"Nope. 'Fraid not." I answered. "This is what we get for being so...awesome at what we do, I guess."

"Man, if I knew being awesome was so much work..." Dash complained, pouring some coffee into her favorite mug, a blue ceremic cup with the emblem of the Wonderbolts that she treasured, and ritually drank her morning coffee from every day at home. "...I'd try to be twenty percent _less_ cooler sometimes." She turned to me and sighed. "So what kinda case we on this time?"

"The same one." I stated simply, pouring myself another cup.

"What, the diamond thing?" Dash half-exclaimed. "I thought we'd totally wrapped that up!" She took a sip of her coffee and almost spit it out with a surprised look. She gulped it down with effort. "Geez Drake! What the hay?!" She squeaked. "I told you not to make that stuff anymore."

"What? It's good stuff." I said with a grin. Dash took another small sip, then dumped the rest of her coffee into the sink.

"It's mud-colored witch's brew is what it is!" Dashie countered. "Remember when I drank one cup, and was up all night?"

"Like I said, it's good stuff." I smirked. She looked around the kitchen.

"What, no breakfast?"

"Eh, we'll grab a bite in town." I said. "We have work to do. Ready to be awesome again, Dashie?" She grinned.

"I was born ready!"

 _I rather enjoyed writing the dialogue between Drake and Agent Shackleford, who becomes a sort of recurring character in the next volumes. I hope to have two or three chapters up by tomorrow night. I want to get the all important pivotal chapter up before anything horrid can happen to derail this story. Thank you all for reading, though I think I have lost a few readers somewhere along the way. Maybe I will pick some up, eh? Please review...I would very much like to know if anyone really likes Drake's story...besides what small hoof-full of you have been in communique with me over the past few volumes. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading._


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

 _As promised, I'm back with chapter 4. The mystery unfolds now, and you all get to see Drake in his new element: detective work. Drake also takes an unexpected trip in this chapter, so there's a spoiler for you all. Heheh. I hope you are enjoying the latest volume of Drake's story thus far. It gets even better, trust me. Please review, everypony._

Agent Shackleford was waiting on the park bench by an old willow tree by the time Dashie and I got to the park. Sitting on the bench, looking around from behind his sunglasses, Shackleford looked every bit like some secret agent awaiting another spy to come give him information. I wondered if this was some kind of image he tried to play up, something he thought make him look tougher or more mysterious than the by-the-book, straight-laced lawpony he really was. When he saw us approaching, the ever-serious EBI special agent stood and faced us. I nodded in greeting to him.

"Shackleford." I said.

"Liuetenant Drake...detective Dash." He greeted.

"So where were your agents attacked?" I queried, wanting to get this over with as soon as practicable.

"Hm. Right...follow me, detectives." Shackleford replied, walking to the nearby street. "We're going to have to travel a bit. That fine with you two?"

"You know me, I love to travel." I quipped cynically.

"I've arranged transportation. Shouldn't be more than three hours to the scene."

"Which direction?" I asked.

"South...southwest, I suppose, why?

"They were taking the diamonds to Canterlot?" I pressed. Shackleford paused, averting his eyes a moment.

"We had orders...lieutenant." He finally replied. "We were to secretly move the diamonds to EBI headquarters in Canterlot instead of taking them to our field office in Manehattan."

"Secretly?" I repeated. "Didn't seem like it was that big of a secret." I thought for a moment. "Wait...by any chance, did you have agents traveling to the Manehattan office while the diamonds were being taken to Canterlot?"

"Yes, why?" He asked in an annoyed tone. "Myself and six of my agents, along with the two prisoners went back to the field office. We had four Manehattan Police officers with us. The six agents transporting the diamonds..."

"Were they given the diamonds... _secretly_?" I asked. He glanced at me quizzically. "You know, could anypony have seen the agents take the diamonds?"

"No, negative." Shackleford responded immediately. "We were careful to make the transfer surreptitious as possible. On our way back to the field office, we still had possession of the attache case, which we had filled with rocks in secret. The diamonds were placed in two grocery sacks and stored in a pair of saddlebags one of the agents carried."

"They all carry saddlebags on their trip?" I questioned.

"Yes."

"Uh-huh..." I mused. "Were any of the other saddlebags stolen?"

"No..."

"No personal possessions stolen? Wallets, money, that kind of thing?"

"No."

"Hm." I voiced. A drawn coach pulled up, a Black Maria pulled by four police ponies.

"What are you thinking, Drake?" He asked.

"You don't want to know what I'm thinking, Rusty." I replied. We climbed into the wagon, and were soon on our way.

Agent Shackleford attempted several times to get me to speak about the case as we traveled to the scene of the crime. I refused. I had information, but with what information I had, I couldn't really draw a conclusion. I would have to see more. I looked forward to getting to the scene where the agents had been waylaid, not because I was happy it had happened, but only because I knew there would be physical evidence...prints, blood trails, maybe even scraps of fabric or a weapon, something that could put me on the right trail. There wasn't much difference between wilderness tracking and detective work, except for the quarry. Just look for sign, and predict your game's next move.

After nearly three hours of riding in the uncomfortable police wagon, the team stopped the vehicle, and the three of us climbed out. We were on a deserted stretch of road about five miles distant from the city of Canterlot. The first thing I did was take a careful look around at the landscape. The length of road we were on was a dirt pathway, not a major thoroughfare. Good job, Shackleford. It wouldn't look suspicious at all for a bunch of EBI agents to be road tripping down a rural road for no reason. Shoulda used the main road. That's what I would have done. Just beyond where we stood, there were two slight rises on either side of the road, where the trail had been worn down over the years.

"I'm taking it the agents were bushwhacked right up there..." I pointed up between the two small hills on either side of the road. I had a slight tinge, an unconscious jerk that came with a fleeting memory of a mountain pass...of Buffalo attacking from the high ground...of a cavalry battle...I shook it off.

"Yes. They were...um...found in that gap, lieutenant." Shackleford replied. I looked at Dashie, and nodded for her to follow me as I moved toward the spot where the EBI agents had been ambushed by their unknown enemy. I felt each step, took in each stone and tree as I moved into the position. I halted in between the two hills and looked around again. Plenty of hiding spots. The perfect place for an ambush. I would have picked this ground too. I _had_ picked ground just like this before. I looked down at the ground. Not much to see in the road. That's the problem with crime scenes on a dirt road, they tend to get messed up too quickly. Shoulda closed it down. No sense in complaining about it now though.

"Drake?" Dash asked. I moved off to the right side of the road, and stared at shallow prints in the soft soil.

"Hm...look at this, Dashie." I whispered, motioning to the hoofprints. I moved up the road a bit, and found two more distinct sets. "They came into this small pass. Right about here, the agents met with a larger, stronger force."

"What makes you say that?" Dash asked, not questioning my ability, but as she said, out of wanting to learn how I read dirt and rocks the way I could.

"These ponies were EBI agents." I stated. They were half-expecting an attack, and they were probably well armed. The enemy hit hard and fast. They set up a perfect trap, and sprung it like experts. No other bodies. Either the attackers didn't lose a single pony, or they carried off their casualties."

"They were good." Dash commented. I scoffed.

"Yep. Too good. That's what has me worried." I said. "Some extortion, this is looking more like a damned military operation." I halted my marefriend, and walked to the top of the small rise. Just on the other side of the top were trees and large rocks. I walked behind and around the cover, keeping my eyes to the ground. Sure enough, I found a spot behind a large elm tree where the earth had been lightly churned up, sign that somepony had stood behind this tree for some time...waiting. About twenty feet away, behind a boulder was another area of disturbed ground, where another body had lain in wait. On the boulder were several deep scratches. I ran my hoof over the marks. They were somewhat fresh, no doubt inflicted by the same pony who had sat behind the rock. The scratches had been gouged by some very sharp instrument, probably a large knife.

"You were here a while, weren't you?" I whispered. "Got a little bored? Played around with your favorite knife..." I walked down the reverse side of the hill, where I found five more spots where ponies had been sitting for some time. I quickly totted back over the rise, across the road, and up the other hill, where I found more of the same, spots where ponies had been waiting on the EBI agents to arrive, six of them, in fact. I made my way back to the road, where Shackleford was waiting beside Dash.

"What have you found?" Shackleford asked. "I...assume you found something..."

"I found where two ticks got into a fistfight a week ago, and uncovered a secret underground ant racing syndicate." I remarked with a sly grin. Shackleford growled in irritation. "Yes, Agent Shackleford...I found what you were looking for."

"What happened to my ponies, lieutenant?" He asked seriously.

"They were ambushed by a well-armed and well disciplined group of ponies, at least twelve, probably more. They knew exactly what your agents were carrying, and knew what direction they would be coming from hours in advance, Rusty. They waited on your agents, set up a perfect ambush."

"But...how?!" Shackleford cried out. "Nopony even knew about the diamonds! Nopony but me...the agents transporting them and...and..."

"Somepony knew." I stated. "Somepony knew, and they killed your agents and got the diamonds."

"You think somepony saw us hand off the diamonds?" Shackleford asked. "Or somepony talked?"

"Those diamonds are worth millions." I replied. "Everypony has their price."

"All of my agents on the detail were killed." Shackleford reminded me.

"I know this." I said.

"Lieutenant Drake..." The EBI agent said. "Find who killed my agents."

"I plan on it." I answered gravely. "I gotta go to Canterlot. You're gonna get me into the Headquarters of the EBI, and find out who gave you orders to bring the diamonds there." He was giving me a suspicious look. "Just trust me on this one, Rusty. You know I'm always right all the time. I have to find out why it was so important that the diamonds were brought to Canterlot. I'm beginning to think it has to do with more than their value in bits. If I can figure that out, then I can find out why these guys wanted them so badly."

"I do this under protest, Drake." Shackleford replied. "I just want you to know that."

"Noted."

"Alright, back to the Maria." He sighed. With that, we climbed back into the police wagon, and began to make our way to Canterlot.

I admit that I had reservations about returning to Canterlot. The last time I had been to the city was after the incident at Fort Mesquite. Before that, I had left the city soon after my dad had died. Every time I went to this city, it was because something bad had just happened, or something bad was _going_ to happen. We rode through the west gate of Canterlot, and I sighed.

"What's wrong?" Dashie asked, putting a hoof on my shoulder. I glanced back at my marefriend, then back out at the city.

"I hate this damned place." I muttered.

"You...you grew up here though, right?" She asked. I looked over and met eyes with Shackleford a moment, then down at the floorboard.

"Exactly."

 _So Drake is back in Canterlot, following a lead. And the blood diamond case is deeper than anypony thought. What will happen next? Will Drake find the ponies responsible? And how will he deal with being in Canterlot and facing elements of his past? I will attempt to get one more chapter up tonight. If I cannot, it will be tomorrow. I want to get to chapter 8 as soon as possible, that is the big chapter for this one, so hopefully you'll be seeing a flurry of new chapters in the next couple days. So until next time everypony, thanks for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

We stopped by the headquarters building of the Equestrian Bureau of Investigation, a five-story office building near the city center. The three of us exited the carriage and entered the large building. I allowed Agent Shackleford to take the lead, and he led us to an office on the second floor, obviously the large office of a superior agent. He rapped on the door.

"Come in." A voice called. Shackleford looked back at us, and opened the door. We stepped into the office. Behind a large desk sat an older brown earth pony stallion in a blue and red-striped tie, his brown mane showing signs of gray. He looked at Shackleford in recognition.

"Special Agent Shackleford." He spoke. "What can I help you with?" The older EBI agent eyed Dash and I suspiciously.

"Deputy Director Dragnet," Shackleford replied. "This is Lieutenant Drake and detective Dash, Military Police Division."

"Detectives." Deputy Director Dragnet nodded. "I assume this had to do with the...incident yesterday evening?"

"Yes sir." Shackleford answered. "I would like to know sir...I mean if you know yourself, who gave the orders for the diamonds to be brought here." Dragnet looked at us all a moment, and pursed his lips.

"Those orders were given in confidentiality, Special Agent Shackleford." The Deputy Director said in a serious tone. "All the way down the line." Shackleford looked taken aback by his superior's reproach. I decided to step in.

"With all due respect, Deputy Director..." I began. "If the orders were truly kept confidential, as you have said, the enemy would not have known where the agents were going to be, or where to attack them. In fact, sir...if the movement of the diamonds had been kept confidential, the ponies who bushwhacked your agents wouldn't have even known they had the diamonds in the first place."

"Then you're insinuating that there was a leak, detective?"

"I'm not insinuating anything other than the fact that the enemy knew who and where to strike, sir." I replied. "And we would like information as to where the orders to move the diamonds came from, if you would be so kind as to help us resolve this situation."

"I'm afraid not, detective." He replied steadfastly. "Those orders were given confidentially, and I will not breach protocol unless given orders by a superior."

"We do not have a warrant for that information, if that's what you mean." I said. "I was only hoping our agencies would cooperate on this matter."

"Your...agency has aided us in the apprehension of two dangerous suspects, and we are very much appreciative of your efforts." The deputy director said in a somewhat condescending way. "But I see no reason why the Bureau requires the assistance of the Military Police Division in this matter. Unless I receive orders from higher up, you will understand, detectives, that I cannot divulge confidential information on an ongoing case."

"Sir..." Shackleford began.

"No...it's quite alright, Agent Shackleford." I interjected. I shot the EBI agent a sly smile for a moment. "I well understand. I require the permission of someone in a higher office than this in order to...procure the evidence I wish to have." I turned to the EBI official. "Thank you, sir. You will be hearing from somepony in a position of power within the next couple days."

We exited the building, and Agent Shackleford let out a sigh.

"Well Lieutenant Drake, that didn't go as well as I had hoped." He muttered dejectedly.

"Didn't go _that_ bad, Shackleford." I replied. "We just need to make sure someone in a higher office than the deputy director gives the say-so to release the information we want."

"How do you propose we do that, Lieutenant?" Shackleford asked smartly.

"Not we. Me." I answered. "You may go now, Rusty. I'll take care of everything from here on out. You'll be hearing from me in the next couple of days. When you do, be sure to bring every agent you can with all possible speed. Sound alright?"

"Drake, I don't know how you plan on doing what you're...no doubt going to do..." Shackleford declared. "But so help me Celestia...I know you're going to do it."

"Know me too well then." I grinned. "Now, Dash and I have work to do. I'll be in contact." With that, Agent Shackleford turned and walked back to the wagon. I turned to Dash. "Ready to go?"

"You bet...wait, where are we going?" Dashie asked. I nodded to the large castle built onto the side of the mountain.

"To somepony higher up, my love." I smiled. I began to walk toward the Royal Palace.

"Wait...Drake!" Dash called, trotting up behind me quickly. "Sweetie, you're just going to walk into the palace and talk to Princess Celestia?"

"Yep." I replied.

"Um...like you know you can't do that, right?"

"Nope." I replied, grinning.

"Ugh..." Dash groaned. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.

We soon came to the guarded gateway to the Royal Palace. I introduced myself by name and rank to the guards, who parted to let us by. Once we had reached the front entrance to the castle itself, I once again gave my name and rank to the guards, who allowed us entrance. We walked down a long corridor, the one I remembered walking once before. We came to a large, gilded door guarded by two armored sentries.

"Halt." One of the guards announced. "State your name and business."

"Lieutenant Drake." I replied. "I have business with Princess Celestia. Important business."

"I was not informed that a Lieutenant Drake would be..."

"Soldier..." I interjected. "Go tell Her Highness that Lieutenant Drake is here, and I need to speak to her." The guards looked at each other, then the one I had spoken to shrugged, and slipped through the door. He returned a few moments later.

"Very well, Lieutenant sir...you may enter." He spoke. I nodded and pushed open the large doors, walking into the huge room with Dashie close behind, still apprehensive about my barging in on the highest ruler in the land. At the back of the room was the dais on which sat the throne on which sat Celestia herself. On seeing me, the Solar Princess stood and walked down the three small steps of the raised platform and walked toward me with a warm smile.

"Lieutenant Drake," The princess greeted happily. "And Rainbow Dash. How are you, my little detectives?" I bowed my head respectfully as Dash full on bowed to the floor.

"We're alright, your highness." I replied. "And how have you been?"

"Thank you for asking." Celestia smiled. "Few ponies bother asking me how I am. I have been well. What brings you here, Lieutenant?"

"Well your highness, I have a bit of a problem." I stated.

"So I have heard." Princess Celestia returned. "You never cease to amaze me, lieutenant. I sent a messenger to your residence in order to inform you that I wished for you two to lend your expertise on this case, and I find that you are already in the field. I put my faith in you for a reason, I see." She commented. I had never gotten used to having a monarch compliment me.

"Thank you." I said.

"What was your problem now?" Celestia asked.

"Well, your highness, I've run into a bit of a snag in my investigation, and I was hoping you could help."

"I shall if I am able." Celestia replied.

"Well, it seems I've run afoul of a certain EBI deputy director by the name of Dragnet. He will not release the information I need until I get the approval of somepony in a higher office than his."

"I see. I know Dragnet. Was he impudent as always?" She asked with a slight snicker.

"You know it, your highness." I answered.

"I'll handle him for you. You should be able to get your information tomorrow, and he will hoof it over himself. Will that be of aid to you?"

"Heheh. Yes it will. Now I feel kinda bad for the deputy director." I chuckled. "Now your highness, Dashie and I are going to be in town for a couple of days during the investigation, and we didn't really bring anything with us...it was a spur of the moment thing. I hate to ask, Princess...but..."

"Your payment for the case?" Celestia finished my request.

"Eheheh...yes, your highness." I admitted. Celestia smiled, and her horn glowed lightly just before a small satchel appeared before me and fell to the floor. "This should hold you over for now, Drake. A hundred and fifty bits. Think of it as an upfront payment. Once you solve the case, you can expect a bit more." She winked.

"Thank you, your highness." I whispered.

"Yeah...thanks, Princess." Rainbow Dash repeated.

"Well, I can't have my best detectives walking around Canterlot without any money, can I?" Celestia smiled. "Now go get yourselves a good meal and a room in one of our fine hotels. You can resume the case tomorrow morning once I have sorted things out with the EBI."

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty. Call on us if you need us." I said. Dash bowed again, still obviously dealing with the idea that we'd just walked into the Royal Palace like we owned the place. I nodded to the Princess, and we turned and left the Palace.

"Drake..." Dashie asked outside. "Did you just walk right into the palace and ask Princess Celestia to make that director guy give you the information?"

"Yep."

"And then you asked for money, and she gave you...a bunch of it?"

"Mmhmm."

"You are the most amazing stallion I've ever met, you know that?" Dash smiled.

"I try." I grinned. "Come on, let's get something to eat, eh?"

Dash and I walked down the street, away from the palace, in search of a decent place to eat. As I walked, I looked back to notice Dashie had stopped, staring at a building we had walked past. I stepped back to my marefriend, wondering what had peaked her interest.

"What is it?" I queried.

"I found where you need to go, Drake." Dash replied. I looked up at the sign on the building. It read: 'Canterlot Hall of Records and Census Bureau'

"No, Dash." I muttered.

"Aww, come on. It'll only take a sec. And besides, you said you would!"

"Dash..."

"Come on Drake. You know you need to do this." I sighed.

"Why?" I asked. I didn't want to admit, even to Dashie how apprehensive I felt about the very idea of finding out if I had family or not.

"Because sweetie...I love you, and I know we have each other...but you need other ponies, Drake. I get super worried about you sometimes, knowing you ain't got any friends or family or...anypony besides me. I want you to be happy, Drake."

"I guess I could check it out." I muttered. "What's the worst that can happen, find out I'm an orphan? Eheheh..." I felt awful even joking about that.

"How does that saying go..." Dash said. "Like nopony should live on an island..."

"Nopony _is_ an island, sweetheart." I corrected her. I sighed again. "I suppose you're right though. You're coming too."

"You bet I am." Dashie replied as we walked up to the Hall of Records.

The Hall was more of a library-like institution, with shelves of information in orderly rows radiating out from the center of the huge room, which contained several desks and a few comfortable-looking chairs. I had no idea where to begin searching, so I simply walked over to the large desk near the entrance, where a white-maned older mare sat, typing something on a typrwriter, her reading glasses defying gravity as she held her head down studiously.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" I said in a low voice.

"Can I help you, sir?" She replied professionally.

"I hope so." I confessed. "I'm looking for information on a couple of ponies...my parents. You see, I'm trying to find out if I...if I have any relatives I don't know about and all..."

"Oh, okay sir." She replied with a smile. "You're doing genealogy research. I'll help you." She came out around the desk. "Just follow me. What is the surname you'll be looking for, sir?"

"Sabre..." I answered nervously. "S...A...B...R...E."

"Oh. Prench name, right?" The mare asked. I glanced at Dash a moment.

"Yes ma'am."

"Okay, here we are. This row is 'S' through 'T'. Now let's see...S...A...Sabre...here we go." She pulled a small folder down and handed it to me. "Now, do you know what city they were from?"

"Canterlot..."

"Oh, okay...here's the Census books for Canterlot, here on this shelf. I'm sure you can find your way from here."

"Thank you." I said as the mare walked away. I closed my eyes, something in me holding me back from opening the folder. I felt a hoof on my shoulder. I looked to see Dash's magenta eyes staring at me emotionally. I smiled at her, and looked back to the folder. I opened it to see a page of information on the Surname Sabre. I began to slowly leaf through the papers. I finally stopped when I saw the name. I lowered the folder a moment. This was so much harder than I thought it would be. Why was it so damned hard to even look at their names? Why had I not been able to even speak their names for ten years? Is this what I'd been running from...these two ponies? These names?

"Captain Chasseur Sabre and Twinkling Dusk..." I whispered.

"Hm? Who are they?" Dash asked, looking over my shoulder.

"My...parents, Dashie." I answered in a hushed voice.

"Oh...wow." Dash remarked.

"Yeah..." I flipped through some more pages. "Get me the Census book for...um...2003?"

"Sure thing."

"2003." I repeated.

"I know." Dash replied.

"The Canterlot one." I added.

"I _am_ an assistant detective you know?"

"Heheh."

"Here's your big Census book." She called, handing me the volume. I opened it up, and turned the flyleaf. There on page one, the second name down was the following:

Sabre, Chasseur...wife, 1 child...1297, Ivy Heights...Diplomat

I dropped the book, actually dropped it. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. It said child. They had another child? This couldn't be true. Did that mean that I had a brother or a sister somewhere?

"Drake...what's wrong?" Dash asked, concern in her voice.

"Dashie...I think my parents had another foal after me..." I explained.

"Who? Where?" She asked.

"How am I supposed to know? All it says is 'one child'."

"Well there has to be a way to find out!" Dash argued. I thought for a moment.

"Marriages!" I blurted out.

"What?"

"I need marriage records! They had me out of wedlock. That means that they wouldn't have dared have another until they were married, which was...damnit...right after I was thrown out..."

"Drake, what are you..."

"I wanted to find out how old the foal..." I grabbed another census book, one dated from the past year, and looked inside. No listings for Sabre in Canterlot. "Maybe they moved away or something. Or changed their name. That happens a lot, right?"

"Drake, why don't you just look in school records? Yearbooks and stuff?"

"God, I'm an idiot." I muttered. I went back to the shelf, and pulled the Census book for 2002 and looked inside. There was my parents listed on page one, along with the child. Okay...I pulled the census for 2001 and threw open the cover. There was my parents...but no child. Whoever the foal was, they had been born sometime between the censuses in 2001 and 2002, making them now...twelve? Thirteen?

"Drake?"

"Dash, I have a brother or a sister somewhere, who's only a foal."

"You have to find them."

"Why?"

"Because Drake...you're all the family they have left. And they're your family. What if that poor kid's all alone and wants to find it's real family?" I didn't even want to consider that...another orphan like me...the same blood, lost in the world.

"What can I do?" I asked, feeling so helpless. "How the hell am I supposed to find an orphan? What if they were adopted and have a different name now? And what if I do find them, and they want nothing to do with me?"

"Whoa, Drake. That's a bunch of what if's. You gotta try. Wouldn't you want somepony to come looking for you?" I turned away, and walked down the isle, away from Dash.

"Drake?" She said softly, walking up behind me. I turned, sniffed, and wiped the tears out of my eyes.

"I did for the longest time." I whispered. Dash nodded. I walked back to the mess we'd made, and put the books back in the right order just as the mare returned.

"Did you need any help, sir?" She asked kindly.

"Yes ma'am, I do." I replied. "I was born here...in Canterlot. It's been a long time since I've been back, and I'm not to familiar with things around here. I need to know ma'am...if a foal is orphaned, if their parents are killed...they would go to an Orphanage, am I right?"

"Yes sir."

"How many orphanages are there in Canterlot?" I asked.

"Oh, just the one, but it's a large facility. It's on the other side of town, down by the family services office. I'm sure they'll be able to help you with any records pertaining to your family, sir."

"Thank you so very much, ma'am." I said. I walked out onto the street and took a deep breath.

"You okay Drake?" Dashie asked, walking up beside me. She nuzzled me gently. I lay my head over her neck.

"Not really..." I sighed. "Sweetheart..."

"Yeah?" She replied softly.

"I think I need to go find my family. Come with me?"

"Like I'd let you go alone." She said lovingly. I brushed my cheek against hers, and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"We're going across town..." I said. "Let's get this over with."

 _I will make every attempt to get the next chapter, and maybe two up tomorrow. I hope you are all enjoying the story. I look forward to your reviews. Thanks for reading, everypony!_


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

 _I'm back with chapter 6, everypony. Sorry I haven't been posting at quite the rate I vowed to, but I've actually been somewhat busy. Tomorrow will probably be a two chapter day, as I want to get to Chapter 8 as soon as possible. This chapter won't be as interesting as the last, but important stuff happens, so it is what it is...please review._

The orphanage was a large school building on the bad side of town. Bad side is relative, seeing as we _were_ in Canterlot. I should say that it was in the area of town that ponies like me came from...the sons and daughters of soldiers, carpenters, housekeepers and other 'common' ponies all hailed from this place. I knew it well. To me, this was the home of the honest, hardworking ponies who kept the world going. To the elite class, this part of Canterlot was nothing more than a depository for the less than desirable citizens of their ornate town, the crown jewel of Equestria. I'd understood this from an early age...I'd been made to understand it by my classmates. This city was the crown jewel of the empire, and ponies like me...like my dad, and all of the other dwellers of this neighborhood, we were the glue that held the jewels to the crown...necessary of course, but unsightly and better unseen. Little wonder I didn't like aristocrats...

"This is the place?" Dashie asked, looking up at the tall structure.

"Yep." I simply stated. I sighed. "Alright, if my brother or sister was brought here, they were probably adopted. I'm gonna go find out what I can."

"What if they were adopted?" Dash inquired.

"Well...I don't know. Maybe I could track down who adopted them, and...dunno. Think I should drop in and tell the kid who I am and all?"

"I think you should." Dash answered. I looked down and kicked at the sidewalk.

"I ever tell you about Scoots?" Dash asked.

"A little, I guess."

"Did you know that she's an orphan?"

"I...I guess I knew that..." I muttered.

"She sees me as the older sister she always wanted. We're not even related, and she like totally sees me as her family. That's why you have to do this, and you know it, Drake."

"I know." I whispered. "Okay...wish me luck." I walked up the steps of the orphanage, and pushed open the doors. I found myself in a lobby, facing a wall with a couple sets of doors. I picked the door marked 'Office' and entered. Inside was a long desk, behind which sat three mares of the secretary variety.

"Can I help you?" The closest one asked.

"Um...maybe, ma'am..." I replied. "I mean...I hope so...I recently um...discovered that I have a sibling that I was never aware of. They may have ended up here about ten years ago...I was trying to...um...to find them, you know." Yes, I was that nervous.

"Okay...what is the name of the ward, and what was the name of the parents?" The secretary asked.

"I'm sorry...I don't know the name of the...of my brother or sister...I just know that our parents died ten years ago. Their names were Chasseur Sabre and Twinkling Dusk. I'm their other child, Dragoon Sabre."

"Is that Sabre, spelled b-r-e?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am."

"Just a minute, and I will check our records, sir." She nodded, standing from her chair. She walked off to a room at the back of the office as I stood waiting, my stomach tied up in a knot. I heard the door behind me open and close, and turned to see Dashie standing beside me.

"Told you I wouldn't let you do this alone." She whispered.

"Thanks Dashie." I whispered back with a smile. I turned back to see the secretary returning with a folder. I swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Okay Sir, I have the information you wanted on your relative. A foal was enrolled here about ten years ago following the death of the parents. She had the last name Sabre."

"That has to be her." I remarked. "Wait...her...I have a little sister?"

"Yes sir. It appears that way." The mare answered. I sighed. I felt Dashie press herself against me reassuringly.

"Okay...got that processed, I think..." I said. "Ma'am, was she adopted, and if so...can you give me the name and address of the foster parents?"

"I'm sorry sir, we can't give out information about foster families without a special court order." She returned. Fine...I'll just get Celestia to take care of it. "But that won't be necessary. She is still a ward of the school at the moment."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "You mean...she's here?"

"Yes sir. Now, if you come back with at least two forms of identification, or a sworn affidavit from somepony in government, we can get to work on the paperwork."

"Paperwork?" I asked curiously.

"Yes. You did want to adopt miss Sabre, correct? As her next of kin, the process is quite simple and is usually expedited." I looked at Dashie, then back to the secretary.

"Can you give us a minute? Just...a second, ma'am."

"Of course." We walked out of the office and into the lobby.

"You're gonna do it, right Drake?" Dash asked.

"I...I don't know..."

"It's your sister..."

"I know that...I just don't know the first thing about taking care of a foal. And what if she don't like me?"

"Drake...of course she'll like you. You're her brother. She needs you."

"I'm kinda scared of this..." I admitted. Dash hugged me.

"I know you are." She whispered to me. "I'm sure your sister is too. You need each other. And about taking care of foals...no sweat. I been foalsitting forever!"

"Really?" I asked.

"Pshh, yeah! I've watched Scoots and her friends a ton of times. I'm sure it'll all come to you naturally. If you get hung up on something, I'll help you out."

"Alright then..." I said. "I'll do it." I took a deep breath and marched straight into the office, and looked at the secretary. "I'll be back tomorrow...with all of the...paperwork and stuff you need...ma'am. Thank you." I walked out of the office, and out of the orphanage. I stood on the sidewalk a moment, still coming to terms with everything. In the last two hours, I'd found out I had a sister, and was in the process of adopting her, all in the middle of investigating the biggest jewel theft in the history of Equestria. What a life...

"You alright, Drake?" Dash asked.

"I'm tolerable." I answered. "Let's just go get some dinner, it's getting late. I gotta go bother Celestia for an affidavit and my Military ID probably counts as two forms of identification at least. We'll come back here after we work on the case tomorrow."

"What do you want for dinner?" My marefriend asked. She smiled. "Want some flapjacks, lieutenant?"

"Nah."

"Oh...uh...how about something...foreign...and strong coffee?" She grinned.

"I dunno...the coffee sounds good, but I think we'll just grab a couple of sandwiches or a pizza or something."

"Wow. I know you're in the doldrums if you're acting normal about food." Dash commented.

"Heh...I guess you're right." I said. "I need to relax a bit. I tell you what, sweetheart...you pick the place this time."

And so, after a dinner of hayburgers and fries, and strong coffee for me, Dash and I checked ourselves into a room at the Mareiot. As soon as we got to the room, I dropped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling for several minutes. I finally sat up, and with Dash watching me curiously, I grabbed the pad of paper and pen beside the bed and wrote the following message:

 **Your Highness,**

 **I apologize for bothering you yet again, but I have discovered something important. I have a sister, a foal of about 13 years of age who has been in the orphanage here at Canterlot for the last ten years. Her last name is Sabre, the same as mine. Our parents were Chasseur Sabre and Twinkling Dusk, both deceased. I require an affidavit proving my identity and relationship to her. I require it by tomorrow. Thank you, Your Majesty...if you could do this for me, I would be eternally in your debt.**

 **Your Stalwart Detective,**

 **-Drake**

Finishing the note, I pulled on the lanyard over the bed, and waited for the knock at the door. When it finally came, I took the letter, along with five bits to the door and handed both to the bellcolt.

"Take this letter to the Princess." I stated. The young hotel employee stared at me with wide eyes. "It's alright. She knows me well. I'm a soldier. I will give you these five bits to do this, and...two more if you come back afterwards and bring me a strong black coffee. Make sure the princess gets it. My name is Lieutenant Drake. Use my name, and nopony'll give you any trouble. You understand?" He shook his head, still acting like he was being given a dangerous mission to save the world or something. "Alright, I'm counting on you." I concluded.

"Y...yes sir." He stammered, and ran off with the note.

"That's taken care of now..." I muttered.

"Yeah, and you scared the buck outta that poor bellcolt." Dash grinned.

"Heheh...yeah. He probably thinks he's on a secret mission for the military or something..." I chuckled. "...but at least he'll be more inclined to deliver the message."

"What do you wanna do now?" Dashie inquired.

"Honestly? And if you tell anypony, I will kill you." I grinned. "After my messenger returns with my coffee...I kinda want to just lay down and hold onto you until I fall asleep."

"Aww. You're not only the bravest, most awesome stallion ever...you're also the sweetest." My marefriend said, nuzzling me gently.

"I know...like I said, just don't tell anyone."

An hour later, there was a knock at the door of our hotel room. I kissed Dashie on the cheek and crawled out of bed, making my way to the door. I opened it to see the young bellcolt there, holding a platter, on which was a cup of steaming coffee and a letter sealed in an ornate envelope.

"I took the letter to the princess, just like you asked sir." He explained. "She was...gosh, I never met a princess before. You really know her?"

"Yup."

"Gosh. Anyway...here's your coffee, and a letter from the Princess." I took the platter, and handed him five more bits. He looked at the extra tip.

"For being so quick." I smiled.

"Gosh..." He whispered.

"Evenin' then..." I said, and closed the door. I sat the tray on the bed, and took a sip of the coffee before tearing open the beautiful light purple envelope, which smelled lightly of roses and old books. I took out the letter, and unfolded it. The writing was a beautiful, flowing script written in blue ink. I read the following:

 **Dearest Lieutenant Drake:**

 **As my sister has retired for the evening, and I did not wish to disturb her, we are quite happy to acquiesce to your request. We have taken the liberty of enclosing a letter to the officials at the orphanage directing them to be of complete service to you in this matter, which we are happy to hear. We are sure you will be a most excellent caregiver to your long-lost sister.**

 **We have been kept abreast of your work, and if we may be so bold, are quite the fan of your work. Tales of your tracking ability and detective work, and your swashbuckling adventures throughout your life have found their way to the very halls of my beloved palace, and into my heart. You may call upon me with any and all problems you may have in the future. And if you wish to call me a friend, I shall call you mine. Be well, my dear Lieutenant Drake.**

 **Your Princess,**

 **-Luna**

"Oh dear lord..." I muttered.

"What is it, sweetie?"

"I think I just made friends with Princess Luna." I replied.

"Uh-huh...well that's just you, Drake...making friends in high places." I gave Dash a deadpan look and took a long drink of the coffee.

"Let's go to bed. I gotta try to unravel this damned case tomorrow...then try to unravel my life." I said in a lackluster tone. I plopped down on the bed, and Dashie lay down beside me, and snuggled up to me. I hugged her close. "What do you think she'll be like...my sister?" I asked.

"I hope she's like you." Dash replied affectionately. "That way, we can be the most awesome family ever." I leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"What would you do without me, Drake?" She asked.

"Heh...you don't wanna know." I answered seriously.

 _I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I think this volume is really developing Drake's character a lot more. He's now dealing with more than just duty. He's actually beginning to deal with his past and with who he really is more than he has in the last three volumes. This chapter was not only a turning point in the story, but in Drake's life, and the entire nature of this saga as well. I will try to have the next two chapters up by tomorrow night. Fair warning...there is an upcoming chapter that is going to be EXTREMELY emotional for me to write, and I may take a short break for a couple days afterwards. But I digress. I hope you are liking this story so far. Please fav and review. Help me make this series something special, as it is to me and my family. Thanks for reading._


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

 _Okay everypony, I can tell you that this chapter is gonna be looooong. I can also promise that you get to see Drake at his best in this chapter. Lastly, I can promise that after this chapter, everything's gonna change. That said, I'm happy to have had as many views as I have had. I would really like more input from my readers, but it is what it is. I hope you all enjoy the chapter._

Dash and I strolled into the EBI headquarters building after we had gotten some breakfast. I was eager to solve this case and try to get rid of at least one of my current headaches. We took the stairs to the second floor, and soon located the office Shackleford had taken us to the day before. I gave Dash a glance before I opened the door and strode confidently into the room. Sure enough, Deputy Director Dragnet was sitting at his desk. When he looked up and spotted us, I swear that his face lost some of its color, and his eyes widened a bit.

"Morning Deputy Director." I greeted solemnly. "I believe you have some papers for us."

"Y...yes..." He stammered, sliding a small stack of paperwork toward me. "That's all of it...I swear. Now please do me a kindness detective, and get the Hell out of my office!"

"Something wrong, sir?" I asked innocently.

"Frankly...I don't know... _who_ you two work for...but...I was supposed to be promoted next month...now get out. Please."

"Thank you for your cooperation sir." I replied, taking the papers and walking out of the office.

"What the hay did Celestia say to him?" Dash asked as we walked out of the building. I grinned as I slid the papers into my right saddlebag.

"I don't know, and I don't think I _want_ to know. I'm just glad we're on her good side though." I replied. "Alright, let's have a good old fashioned sit down and go over some of this stuff." We walked to a small park and sat in an ornate white gazebo, where I pulled the papers out of my bag and began to leaf through them. It was mainly operational information, facts about what agents were assigned to the diamond case, photos and descriptions of evidence and lists of potential suspects. I looked over the later somewhat in depth. It surprised me that the EBI had a list of ponies that were actually tied to jewel theft and international smuggling rings, but the only arrests that had been made were the two ponies Dash and I had apprehended. I saw some names and affiliations that I did not recognize. There was of course some gangs and militant groups like The Blackhoof Party and the Maretanian Liberation Front, but there was also groups I knew little about, like The Mountain Militia and CRISIS.

"Looks like the Bureau thought this case might be pretty deep themselves. Either that, or they were trying to cover all their bases by investigation all the usual suspects." I commented.

"Anything that helps you out though?" Dash asked.

"Heh. Look at all these organizations that the EBI was looking into. Militias, terrorist cells, anarchist groups. Why would they think there was a link between militant extremists and some diamond thieves?"

"I dunno."

"Maybe because there was."

"You think that 'cause of the attack on the EBI agents, right?" Dash inquired.

"Heh. You'll make a great detective someday, my love." I smiled. "Yeah. That was an orchestrated ambush done by professionals. No run-of-the-mill thieves could have pulled that off. Somepony wanted the diamonds to stay hidden for the time being."

"How do you know that?"

"Because no jeweler is gonna take a bunch of uncut diamonds from a strange pony. There's laws about that kinda stuff, and if some pawnbroker or jewelry maker bought a bag of blood diamonds, they know it would be their flank if they got caught." I explained.

"Oh."

"So...the thieves, or whoever they are wanted to make sure the diamonds sat out and weren't found...and they were either working with some militant outfit, or hired a bunch of first-rate mercenaries to make sure that happened."

"But how did they know the EBI agents were carrying the diamonds?"

"One of two ways..." I answered. "First possibility...They had somepony watching the whole time the exchange between Back Alley and Shady Deals was taking place, and followed at a distance, observing everything that went on from a position of concealment. They saw the EBI agents taking charge of those diamonds and communicated to their comrades, who set up an ambush. The second possibility is that there was somepony on the inside, maybe even in the EBI who set the entire thing up. They wanted their two delivery guys to take the fall, then used their contacts in a position of authority to make sure the jewels got to exactly where they wanted."

"That's...pretty intense..." Dashie commented.

"Yup. Still don't know which one it is though." I said. "But I have a good idea where the diamonds are."

"Really? Where?"

"Right here in Canterlot. The agents were hit a couple miles from this little burg. Why? Why not anywhere else along the road? Nope, the bad ponies are here. The attackers probably took the diamonds and ran as fast as they could to Canterlot, to some hidey-hole they had set up."

"So how are we gonna find them?" Dash asked.

"Hm. I have an idea on that." I said. "Birds of a feather flock together."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Heheh. Trust me...there's not that many crooks in Canterlot, and I'm sure most of 'em know the other ones. Just gotta find me a regular baddie and lean on him till he cracks."

"Uh-huh..." Dashie answered.

"Alright...we gotta go to my old stomping ground. The other side of the tracks, you know? Start kicking over rocks and see what turns up." I paused, remembering the letter from Princess Luna in my saddlebag. "And uh...I guess I can drop off my...credentials at the orphanage on the way..."

After ten minutes of walking through Canterlot, I once again found myself at the huge orphanage. I pulled the letter from my saddlebag, and walked into the building. I still felt nervous, and on top of that was a surreal feeling about this whole situation. Just a couple days ago, I had no family besides Dashie. Now, I was adopting a sister I didn't even know I had. I took a deep breath and opened the door to the office. The same secretary I had spoken to the day before was behind the counter, and she looked up as I entered.

"Oh...were you the stallion who was here yesterday?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am." I replied. "You said to come back with paperwork...and I have."

"Oh, good. May I see it, please?" She asked. I first pulled out my military identification and handed it to her. "Oh, you're a soldier? An officer. That's impressive, sir."

"I'm a lieutenant detective in the Military Police Division." I added.

"Hm. Do you have any other paperwork?" She asked. I pulled the letter from Princess Luna that she had included with her personal correspondence to me, and handed it to the secretary.

"I have this, ma'am." I replied as she began reading. "You said a sworn affidavit from somepony in government would..."

"This is a letter from Princess Luna!" The mare exclaimed, getting the attention of the other two secretaries in the office. "I would _say_ that this is a valid statement, sir!" She looked up at me. "You know the princess?"

"Well, I know _both_ of the princesses, actually. I work for Princess Celestia. I've only corresponded with princess Luna...recently."

"Well!" The mare replied. "On researching your sister's file...I should have no doubts about your family's ties with high offices...it's just a rare thing that we get somepony in here who is of your...station."

"My station's got nothing to do with it." I remarked. "I'm just a detective in the army, and I guess I've made a few friends in the course of my duties. I just want to adopt my sister and get her out of here. That's more important to me than...who I know, ma'am." I paused, thinking about what I'd just said. Maybe I did feel that way after all. I had never had a real family before, and the words had just rolled out without my even thinking about them.

"Yes, well...alright, sir. I will put you on file. As soon as I prove the authenticity of this letter, as well as you identity, you can come back and sign all of the necessary paperwork. After that, the adoption process will be complete for you. Since this may be a letter from a princess, we're going to get to work on this at once. Come back tomorrow morning."

"Understood." I said. In the back of my mind, I was a little put off that they had to prove the authenticity of Princess Luna's letter and my ID. Ponies practically dumped their children off at a place like this, allowed them to become the unknown and unwanted caste in this city. Why was it so important that they go through all of this trouble? Who wanted to steal a foal in a town where wealthy ponies tossed their own offspring away just because of appearances? I felt myself questioning my own emotions again. Why did I feel this way? I'd never met my own sister. I didn't know anything about her, but still, I was becoming angry. Why? Was it because somewhere inside, I didn't like the fact that this orphanage was treating her like their property that had to be deeded over, when she rightfully belonged with me? I walked out of the office and breathed a heavy sigh. If I was questioning that as a motive for my feelings, that meant I was thinking it. I walked out of the building, and nuzzled Dashie before turning back to the orphanage.

"Tomorrow, lil' sis." I muttered. I walked away, with Dash close behind.

We continued our trek, walking along the row of small houses, watching as the scenery became plainer and more spartan. We were now in the poorest section of Canterlot. We turned at a street corner, and walked past several houses built like barracks. In fact, that's what this neighborhood was, housing for the hundreds of Royal Guards in service of the princesses. Without even realizing what I was doing, I walked down a street that became all to familiar to me. I stopped abruptly, causing Dash to bump into me.

"What is it, Drake?" She asked. I was staring at the front of one of the nondescript houses. I felt a surge of emotion...memories leaping into my mind like flames taking hold on old kindling.

"Home, Dash..." I whispered back. "It's...it's my old home..."

"Drake..."

"It's...this whole trip's been..." I began, but for the first time, there was no puns. There was no smart remarks or jokes or parables. Nothing would come out. I was looking at a door I had walked through countless thousands of times growing up. A house where I had learned to walk, to read...where I had learned to soldier. All that I am and all I would ever be...my roots were there, in that simple little stucco house.

"Drake?"

"I'm coming back here, Dash. I have to...one more time. But not now." With that, I started walking again.

We soon came to the truly downtrodden part of Canterlot, a small neighborhood by the south wall. I had finally reached the area I was looking for. All of the common thugs and criminals in the city were congregated here. If we were going to find any leads, we had to find a thief. If we were gonna find a thief, it would be in this neighborhood. I looked down at a muddy puddle on the road. It was time to put on a show. With a devious grin, I dipped my forehooves into the muck, and smeared a little on my face, rubbing it in good to look like I hadn't bathed in a couple days. I messed up my mane, even worse than it already was. From my saddlebag, I pulled a white handkerchief, and tied it around my right foreleg.

"Dash, mess yourself up." I stated. She looked at me questioningly. "Think about where we are, what kind of ponies live here. Make yourself look like shit. From here on out, we ain't detectives. We're just a couple of vagabonds out to do some crime. Heheh."

"Ooo, gotcha. We're going undercover!" Dash replied in a loud whisper. She smeared dirt on her face and neck, and messed up her mane. I handed her a white handkerchief, which she tied around her head.

"Perfect." I said. "Oh...a little cologne..." I muttered. I pulled my flask from my bag and opened it. I took a sip, enough bourbon to make my breath smell like alcohol, then splashed a little on me. "Now we can do this."

We walked down the street, looking for anypony who looked like a criminal. It wasn't that difficult. We passed by a small group of stallions sitting on a porch drinking. They eyed us suspiciously as we passed. We passed two rough-looking stallions just inside an alleyway, who seemed to be dickering or arguing over a gold necklace. This is what I'd been looking for. We approached the duo, who stopped talking, and glowered at us as we approached.

"What's up?" One of the stallions, a dark red pony with a scar on his cheek greeted. "You lost?"

"Naw, I'm right where I wanna be, man." I replied. "We're wantin' to buy some gold, and I saw your swag there. Thought you could hook us up."

"Well I think you should keep movin'." The other pony, a brown stallion with a messy black mane replied.

"Hm..." I hummed. "Wasn't talkin' to ya. Talkin' to your friend here."

"And what if I told ya I didn't know where to get gold?" The red stallion asked. "What if I said this here necklace fell off a wagon?"

"Then I'd wanna know what wagon so I could get me one too." I answered. "That'd look good on my ladyfriend here."

"Rack off." The brown stallion remarked. I ignored him, and continued to give the more rational pony my attention.

"How'd we know you ain't a cop?" The red stallion pressed.

"Heh. If I was a cop buddy, I wouldn't beat your buddy here black and blue, would I?" I said with a slight chuckle. The brown stallion began to move toward me threateningly.

"You ain't got the..." He began, but was interrupted by me landing a solid blow under his jaw that sent him staggering back a few steps. The stallion seized a length of pipe and came at me again. I stepped toward him quickly, and blocked the pony's right foreleg with my left, rendering his weapon useless, before headbutting him. I twisted his right arm, causing the stallion to drop the pipe. I sent three powerful punches into his face, released him, then turned and bucked him further back into the alley where he collided with a garbage can. He stood woozily, and was about to begin another ill-advised attack when the other pony spoke up.

"Back off." The red stallion said to his compatriot. "If I were you man, I wouldn't screw with this hondo." He motioned toward me. "So chief, what was it you were lookin' for? Red Line's got the connections. Booze, boobs, booms and bling, I'm the pony you talk to."

"Alright." I nodded. "Thought you'd be the dude I needed to see." I looked around, as if I were afraid of somepony listening in. "I been looking for some gold, and maybe some diamonds. Need a good supply."

"What you need with so much gold and shit?" Red Line asked.

"I got me a bit of trouble with the po-po, and I need to turn some bits into somethin' a little less...trackable, know what I'm sayin'?"

"I hear ya." Red Line answered suspiciously. "What kinda trouble you in that you need that kinda...volume?"

"Ah, my...employer done went and screwed me over in a job." I explained. "Supposed to be clean, but I ended up with a bag of bits that's gonna look bad if I get caught holdin' em. I'm lookin' to turn 'em into gems and jewelry, then me and my mare gonna get gone fast. Ain't sayin' where." I looked around again. "You the stallion I need to talk to or not?"

"Yeah, yeah...I can help ya out, for a commission, know what I'm sayin'?"

"Yep." I said, reaching slowly into my saddlebag, and pulling out my bag of bits. I dumped twenty out in my hoof, and slipped the bag back into my saddlebag. "This a start, man? More where this came from."

"Daaamn. Hondo set up like Rock Feller!" Red Line grinned. He picked up a brown paper bag nearby and dumped the bits inside, then tucked it into the belt around his waist. "You two come with me. I'll set you up with The Jeweler." I processed this a moment. A fencer.

"Whoa there. I don't wanna deal with some grandpa in a jewelry store. I gotta keep a low profile." I stated.

"Relax man...The Jeweler ain't on the straight. He's the mover of about all the heisted bling in this burg." Red Line explained. Perfect. That's just who I wanted to meet.

Two blocks down, we came to a door on a small, windowless building. Red Line rapped on the door in a strange code, tap-tap tap-tap taptaptap tap. A small window on the door slid open, and all I could make out was a dark blue eye staring out at us.

"Who is it?!" A gruff voice called from the other side of the door.

"Chill. It's Red Line. Got you a couple customers. They're cool."

"Hm. Gimme a minute." The voice replied. The small window slid shut hard. I looked back at Dashie and nodded with a small smile. A silent signal that she was doing well, and everything was good so far. The door finally opened to reveal a strongly-built, light gray stallion with dark blue eyes. He looked between the three of us a moment, then stepped aside. We walked into the building, and the stallion slammed the door. I looked around the room we were in. Old ratty sofas, check. Wire spool table, check. Random, obviously stolen junk everywhere, double check.

"So, this hondo and his lady are interested in some fine jewelry." Red Line explained. "They want some major volume in gold and gems...wanna turn a buch 'a hot bits into some bling, ain't that right?"

"That's it, man." I replied.

"What did you want anyway, I ain't got much." The gray stallion replied.

"You got gold?" I asked.

"What do ya think I do, run a burger joint?" The Jeweler replied.

"What I mean is, you got a mil's worth?" I asked seriously.

"I ain't runnin a damn gold mine, pal."

"Alright. Fair enough man..." I sighed. "Diamonds. I need a million in rocks, cold ones. I can trade 'em in once I get outta country."

"Nopony's got that kinda ice."

"Not what I heard. Seen in the paper that there was some shit about ten million in rocks stolen from the damn army or somethin'. We ain't from this town, but I figured if there's that kinda trade goin' on around here, somepony can get me a little million's worth of...something. Hell, I don't even care if they're hot or not. I ain't getting' caught with a million in dirty bits. I got better things to do with my life than sit in a cell somewhere."

"A million is a big order." The Jeweler said. "I dunno if I can fill it. I can get you twenty thousand in gold, and another thirty thousand in gems." I looked back at Dashie a moment, then turned back to the two criminals.

"Sorry for wastin' your time, guys." I said, a tinge of impatience in my voice. "I'll find somepony that can get what I need. Have a good 'um." With that, I started to leave.

"Hold on...hold on..." The Jeweler said. "Alright brother...I'll tell you what...I might know somepony who knows somepony who has a cousin who might know something about a ton of stolen diamonds. I ain't gonna be able to get 'em myself, but gimme until tomorrow night, and I might be able to hook you up with the ponies you need to talk to. That alright with you?"

"Guess that'll work." I said. "We'll be back here tomorrow night. Eight o'clock."

"See what I can do. No promises." The Jeweler nodded. Dash and I left the building, and walked back up the road. We didn't stop until we got to the working-class part of town. There, I led Dash quickly into a clothing store.

"We're getting close, ain't we?" Dash asked as we passed by the racks of clothes.

"I think we are." I replied. I grabbed a brown, fringed coat off of a rack, followed by a wide brimmed cowpony hat.

"What are you doing?" Dash implored.

"Well sweetie...you see that dress over there? The blue one?"

"Um...yeah..."

"Get it. And a hat. We gotta look different, and fast."

"Gotcha." Dash nodded. We shared a quick kiss, and went about rounding up some clothes. We paid, and put on our new outfits. By the time we walked out, using the back door to do so, I could have passed for a wealthy rancher, and Dash for my equally wealthy wife. We made our way back to our hotel room, and stayed there the rest of the evening, ordering dinner from the room. The young bellcolt from before brought our food up, and was equally as confused as he had been the night before when this time around, I handed him a four-bit tip dressed like a rich cowpony.

After dinner, and going over more of the paperwork I got from Dragnet, we extinguished the lanterns and crawled into bed. Cuddled up to me, Dashie fell fast asleep, no doubt worn out from all the walking we had done. I kissed her on the forehead and sighed. Staring up at the dark ceiling, I couldn't help but think. Tomorrow, I was getting a sister. And I still had a case to solve. Raising a foal or stopping a dangerous, international crime ring...I had to wonder which was gonna be the bigger challenge.

 _I will try to get the next chapter up tonight. I hope you all enjoyed reading this one. Please send me reviews, everypony._


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

 _Hello everypony. As promised, I got chapter 8 up tonight. I know you'll all love this installment, so I won't keep you. Hope you enjoy._

I nervously entered the large building...the orphanage that I'd already been to twice in just as many days, never without nervous apprehension balling up in my stomach never without the strangling sensation of worry and the unknown tightening around my heart. I walked into the building and paused in the lobby a moment, doubts filling my mind. I felt a light nudge at my side. Dashie stood beside me. She smiled in understanding.

"Go on, Drake." She said.

"Dash...what if...what if she doesn't want me in her life? What if I can't..."

"Drake, she needs you. She's been here too long, and she needs her family. She needs her brother, okay?" I stared into Dashie's eyes a long moment, knowing she was right.

"Yeah..." I choked. I inhaled deeply and walked into the office, where an older, stern-looking mare sat, obviously awaiting my intrusion into her work day.

"Can I help you?" She asked curtly. This didn't help my situation much. I'd kind of hoped to see the other secretary.

"Yes ma'am...um...I'm Lieutenant Dragoon Sabre. I have an appointment." The mare stared at me a moment through her eyeglasses. "I'm supposed to be signing some papers to adopt my...my sister, ma'am." She turned wordlessly in her chair, and started looking through files. I glanced back at Dashie to see her smile and nod encouragingly.

"Okay, lieutenant...here is your file." The secretary stated. She lay the open file on the desk, where I could see a few pages of legal forms. "You need to sign this form, sign this one here...and here. Now sign this one down here at the bottom, initial and date here..." I followed her instructions, and signed at least a dozen forms. Finally, she replaced the papers in the folder, and handed me a small stack out of the pile. "These are yours. Go down the hall, up the second staircase on the left. Take a right. Go to door 214. Give the worker your papers. Have a good day." I don't know what bothered me more, her dogmatic instructions, or the lackluster way she told me to have a good day, almost as if it were part of her instructions.

"Ma'am." I nodded politely. I walked back to Dash. "I'll be back soon, darling." I said. I gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Wish me luck." With that, I started down the hall.

"Good luck Drake..." I heard my marefriend whisper behind me. I walked down the hall, and soon found the staircase the secretary had mentioned, and climbed to the next floor. Opening the door to the second floor hall, I was greeted immediately by a throng of youngsters being herded noisily down the hall by a light green mare in a silk scarf and glasses.

"Come on now, back to class!" The mare announced. I was about to speak to her, when somepony bumped into me hard. I looked to see a yellowish-tan pony with a dark-blonde mane and tail grinning sheepishly at me.

"Woop...sorreh!" She said, obviously trying to be silly. "Had a derp moment there, heehee." With that, she rejoined the other foals as the teacher guided them into a room. The door closed, and I noticed the number on the plaque: 214.

"Well damn." I sighed. My kid sister had probably been in that crowd. I stared down the wooden door for a couple of minutes. Now or never, right? I walked up to the door, and knocked. After a few seconds, the teacher answered. I introduced myself in a hushed tone, and handed her the paperwork I carried. She quickly looked over the forms, and then looked back at me.

"Lieutenant, are you sure you're ready for this responsibility?"

"Ma'am..." I began. "I'm ready to meet my little sister, and to be her family. Honestly...other than that, I'm sort of winging it here." The teacher gave me a little smile.

"Welcome to foalcare 101 then." She replied in a good-natured tone. "Well, do you want to come in and meet your sister?" The teacher continued. "I have to warn you, your sister is _very_ intelligent and mature in a lot of ways, but...ugh, she can be somepony's worst nightmare on occasions too."

"Um..." I said nervously.

"Oh, don't worry. If she likes you, she's the biggest sweetheart you'll ever see."

"And if she doesn't?" I asked. The teacher looked at me and blinked.

"Come in." Is all she said. The teacher led me into the classroom, where the young ponies were sitting at individual desks. "Class, this is Lieutenant Dragoo..."

"Please ma'am..." I interjected. "Just call me Drake."

"Very well, This is Lieutenant Drake." She was met by a few half-hearted attempts to greet me. "He's here for a very important reason." This got the attention of some of the foals. "It's not ever day that somepony finds out they have a family. One day, you'll all have families of your own, and know what a magical feeling it is to love and to be loved." Some of the students nodded sadly. "Miss Budder?" The teacher called. The female foal who had bumped into me in the hall had been preoccupied with a drawing the entire time. She now looked up.

"I was listening." She said quickly.

"Could you come up here please?" The teacher asked. Budder stuck out her tongue and blew a short raspberry, making a few of the other students giggle.

"Oookaaaaay..." She droned. More of the students laughed. The young pony stood before us. Wait...was this...

"Budder, I want you to meet...Drake. Your brother." The room was dead silent for what seemed like an eternity. The young ponies were speechless, and so was I. It was my long-lost sister who finally spoke.

"You're my...brother?" She asked in a hushed voice. Her light bluish-gray eyes were wide as she stared at me questioningly.

"Yes..." Is all I could get out.

"I didn't know I had a brother." She said.

"That's okay Budder...until a couple days ago...I didn't know I had a sister." I replied, feeling so many emotions at once that I couldn't keep track of them all.

"Did..." She began, her voice squeaking with emotion. I could see tears forming in her eyes. "Did you come to take me...home?" I couldn't hold the tears back myself.

"Yes sis...yeah, I did." I whispered. Budder sniffed, and narrowed her eyes angrily. Then, her look softened, and she leaped onto me in a tight hug. I embraced my sister, and hugged her tightly.

"Why did you wait so long?" She whispered.

"I'm sorry...I didn't know..." I said. "I'm here now." I glanced up at the teacher. She smiled warmly and nodded her approval. "You ready to go?" I asked my sister. I felt her nod into my shoulder. The teacher handed me my stack of papers, and I took them with a friendly nod to her kindness.

Dash was waiting in the lobby when Budder and I returned. She watched anxiously as we approached, no doubt wondering how everything had went, and if this foal was the new addition to our family. When we reached Dashie, I smiled and stood aside to let her get a better look at my newfound sister.

"Dashie...I want you to meet my little sister. Budder, this is my marefriend, Rainbow Dash."

"Hey!" Dash greeted happily. "I'm Rainbow Dash, the most awesome assistant detective in all of Equestria! Pleased to meet ya, Budder."

"Wait, how can you be the most awesome assistant if you're just the assistant?" Budder asked. "Doesn't that mean that the pony you assist is the most awesome?"

"Um...geez, I never thought about that..." Dash mused, obviously getting a little flustered.

"But there's nothing wrong with being _assistant_ awesome." My sister concluded. Dashie looked at me with a deadpan expression.

"Drake...this is _so_ your sister." She commented.

"Heheh...Yeaahhh..." I said with a chuckle. I already loved this foal. Budder looked back at me a moment, then to Dash, then back to me.

"Wait...does that mean you're a detective?" She asked me. I grinned.

"Looks like you have some observational skills yourself, Budder." I said.

"My big brother's a detective? That's...so...awesome!" She beamed. "I bet you two go on all kinds of cool adventures and catch evil ponies, right?"

"You better believe it." Dashie answered.

"Eee!" Budder squeaked happily.

"Come on." I said, motioning with my head. "Let's get out of here. You hungry, Budder?"

"Yep!" She announced as we exited the building.

"Oh...alright...I guess you haven't had lunch yet, huh?"

"Meh...about 2 hours ago, I think." My sister replied.

"And you're hungry?" I asked again.

"I could eat."

"She's a growing filly." Dash commented. "I ate like a manticore when I was her age." Oh really? Like you still can't put away half a chocolate cake in one sitting, sweetheart? Heh, maybe twenty-two was still too young for her metabolism to start slowing down. Wait, that reminded me...

"How old are you?" I asked my sister. She stopped and grinned.

"How old do I look?" She asked back.

"I dunno...13?"

"I'm gonna say 14." Dash added.

"Nope...well, I'll be 13 in a few months. I'm only twelve." She answered.

"Oh, alright." I said, and started walking again.

"I know, I look older, right?" My sister asked. "Everypony thinks I'm like 14 when they meet me."

"Oh?" I mused, leading us through the maze of Canterlot ponies on the sidewalk. Budder kept talking.

"...and I was doing math at a higher grade level, but not social studies. Social studies...I _do_ like history though." She paused a moment as she trotted up beside me. "Do _you_ like history too, bub?"

"Hm?" I asked, looking at her. "Yeah, I guess so. I've always kind of liked military history." She was still smiling sweetly up at me. "Umm...you?"

"Uh-huh! I like learning about like battles and army stuff, and I love swords and knives, but they don't allow them at the...school..." I looked back to see Dash smiling warmly. She looked like she was about to tear up as she watched us lovingly. She nodded at me encouragingly.

"Well, I have a few swords and weapons in my...collection and...stuff." I replied. I didn't know the first thing about children, and though I wanted to do everything right by my little sister, I was a nervous wreck.

"Hey Budder!" Dash called. "You brother's being way too modest. He's like, the greatest swordspony in Equestria, and he could teach you to use a sword and stuff in no time."

"Really?" She asked.

"I guess, yeah. I could do that if you wanted..." I replied.

"Eee!" Budder squealed loudly, making me wince. I gave my sister an incredulous look. She was grinning widely at me.

"Umm..." I said nervously. "Oh, so where do you wanna eat, Budder?"

"I dunno." She shrugged.

"Oh, I guess the school didn't really take you foals out to many restaurants, huh?" I asked.

"Meh. Not really." Budder replied.

"Alright, then what do you _like_ to eat?"

"I dunno."

"Okay...hayburgers? Salad? Do foals like salads? Um...flapjacks?" I asked.

"Uhhhh..."

"Canapes?! Hors d'oeuvres?!"

"Whaaaa..." Budder asked in confusion, looking like her brain was about to melt. I groaned.

"You ever have flapjacks?" I asked her.

"I don't think so."

"No? No flapjacks?!" I exclaimed.

"I don't even know what's going ooonnnn..." Budder whined nervously. I chuckled. She was a strange one, I could already tell. I had a knack for reading ponies almost immediately. I'd always had this ability. Now, it was at work, my mind reading into everything my sister said and how she said it, her personality traits, her movements and body language, and half a dozen other factors.

No, I wasn't over-analyzing a foal, trying to coldly rationalize a young pony who was blood of my blood. I cared for her. I knew that I already did. She was my family. I just had no experience with foals. I had no idea what the Hell I was doing. I wanted to know what to expect from my newfound sister, and so far, she didn't disappoint. Budder was intelligent, maybe even highly intelligent. She was also very quick-witted and outspoken, much like myself.

There was a certain quality about her however, that I found difficult to grasp. She seemed a little on the silly side...even beyond what I'd expect from a filly her age. Was it a defense mechanism? Maybe she was just a little hyperactive? Shut up Drake. You're her guardian now. Stop thinking and do your damned job, already.

"Okay, let's go get some flapjacks. You'll love them." I smiled.

"Okay. I'm good with that." Budder replied. "What are they?"

"Pancakes." I answered simply.

"Oh, I've had those." She said. "But ain't it lunchtime, bub?"

"Flapjacks are an _anytime_ food." I shot back. "Like coffee."

"Blech. I don't like coffee." Budder commented as we walked down the sidewalk in search of a restaurant.

"Heh. You sure this is your sister?" Dash asked with a giggle.

"Huh?" Budder asked.

"Your brother here drinks more coffee than any ten ponies. And when he makes it, it's like syrup. Black as Luna's night. One drop, and you'll be up for _days_."

"Woah." Budder said, mesmerized.

"Yep..." Dashie continued. "And Drake drinks like ten cups of it a day. That's how he can take on like six ponies at once." I rolled my eyes. This was getting ridiculous fast. "Did you know that your brother knows Princess Celestia, and once stopped an evil ring of ponies who were wrecking the Royal Garden?" Alright, enough of this...

"For Celestia's sake, Dashie..." I groaned. "It was a gardener that accidentally killed a cactus and tried to cover it up! We were there for a visit. Ugh..."

"Well, there was the time Drake here stopped a bank robbery singlehoofedly." Dash said. "Right?"

I guess...technically..." I said. "Alright...I was out shopping, and I just saw the guy in the bank, robbing it when I went to make a deposit. I waited outside and hit him with salami when he came out." Budder was staring at me like I was a superhero. "Don't listen to Dashie here. See, there was another Drake, an evil Drake, and I had to kill him."

"I love you guys." Budder said with a grin.

"Huh?" I remarked, caught off guard.

"I think I have the most awesome family evah!" She gushed. Cliche, I know, bit this made me feel warm inside. We finally reached a restaurant worthy of my patronage, A Waffle Shack, the only restaurant in Equestria where you could get a good breakfast...at any hour of the day. We walked in and got a seat at a booth at the back of the establishment. Budder started to sit in the bench against the wall, but I stopped her, and I took my customary position with my back to the wall, facing the door.

"Um..." Budder questioned.

"Always sit with my back to the wall when I'm working. It's a thing, sis." I explained.

"Oh...alright..." Budder replied, and promptly plopped down beside me. Dash took a seat across the table from me. She leaned in close to my sister.

"He does that so he can stay alert. His back is to the wall so nopony can sneak up on him." Dash explained. Budder looked at me, and I nodded and sighed that this fact was actually true.

"Wow." Budder stated.

"What can I get for you guys?" A waitress asked.

"One of those big Belgian waffles..." Dashie said. "Oh, and a sweet tea."

"Okay," The waitress smiled. "And for you two?" I nodded at Budder.

"We'll both have a stack of flapjacks with maple syrup...fresh blueberries and strawberries on the side, and one cup of strong black coffee..." I looked at my sister. "..what would you like to drink, sis?"

"Um...they have orange juice, bub?"

"Um...I would hope so." I answered. "One orange juice for the young lady, por favor."

"Sure thing." The waitress answered, walking away.

"So bubby...are you on a case or something?" Budder asked.

"What?" I asked.

"You said you sit with your back to the wall when you're working, and you're sitting with your back to the wall, so...yeah, I figured you were working." I stared at her a moment.

"She's good." Dash said.

"I know...it's kinda scary." I smiled. "But...yeah, Dash and I are kind of on a case right now."

"Can I help?" Budder asked happily.

"No." I replied. My sister looked a little sad. "It's really dangerous, alright?"

"Alright..." She sighed.

"I tell you what you can do though..." I thought. "In our room at the Mareiot, you can hang out, order room service, and take care of any messages we get while we're out. We'll have some important messages coming and going, right Dashie?"

"Hm? Right...and you can guard our evidence in case anypony tries to steal it." Dash added. Good, that should appease her.

"Alright, I guess." Budder said. At that moment, our waitress returned with our drinks. She placed them before us, and walked away. I took a sip of my coffee. "So what kind of case are you on?" Budder asked.

"Um...I think it's a secret or something." Dash advised.

"It's a theft thing." I explained. "A bunch of bad ponies stole some gems, and Dashie and I have to find them and get the gems back...that's all I can say."

"That sounds awesome." Budder commented. She took a drink of her juice.

"Your food, guys." The waitress announced, placing our plates on the table. Budder poked at the flapjacks a moment, as if testing them for any danger.

"Go on...they're heaven." I said before digging into my own delicious pancakes. Budder finally took a bite. She grinned. "Told ya." I said with my mouth full, making my sister chuckle.

After lunch, we went back to the hotel, and the three of us entered our hotel room. Budder took a look around. We still had trays and plates stacked up in the bathroom sink, and the bed was littered with paperwork and photographs. She glanced at me incredulously.

"Your guys' room is a wreck." She stated.

"Yeahhh...I guess we kinda let it go a bit..." I admitted. "Tell you what, we'll..." I was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Hold that thought." I walked over and opened it to see my old chum the bellcolt standing there, holding three envelopes, looking at me like he was in the presence of a celebrity.

"Oh, I saw you coming up, and these letters came for you while you were out, sir. I brought them up as soon as I could. I'm sure they're pretty important...you seem...pretty important...

"Nah...just got some pretty important friends, I guess." I replied, fishing out my depleted bag of bits. I handed the colt two coins. He grinned and glanced at the letters.

"It looks like it. Thank you, sir. If you need...anything at all, let me know."

"Will do. Thank you." I said, and closed the door. I quickly opened it again. "Hey...can you get room service up here? Our room is a bit thrashed."

"No problem, sir!" The bellcolt replied with a salute before trotting off toward the stairs. I closed the door back, and turned to my family. "Alright. Somepony will be up to clean this gaum."

"Gaum?" Budder asked. She looked at Dash.

"Dun look at me. That's a new one to me too."

"Gaum? As in mess?" I stated.

"Well why didn't you just say mess?" Dash asked.

"Anyway..." I said. "Dash, we gotta go to...that appointment...you know, the one at eight?"

"Oh yeahhhh..." She answered.

"And it's after three now. Will you be okay in the room for a few hours, sis?" I asked.

"Yup!" Budder said. She looked a bit forlorn. "I just wish I could spend a little more time with you guys, you know? I just met you." I walked over, and gave my sister a hug.

"I know, sis. And when this case is over, we'll go spend a bunch of time together. I promise. Bubby just has to go catch bad ponies right now."

"I know..." Budder sighed. She smiled at me. "No, my bubby has to go be awesome." I smiled at her, and pulled out my bag of bits, which only had fifteen coins left. I tossed it to her.

"Here's some money. Get some room service. Call that bellcolt if you want anything. We'll be back tonight sometime. If we're not back by morning, go find Princess Celestia, and tell her."

"Don't say that!" She scolded, tears in her eyes. I mentally kicked myself for saying what I'd just said.

"Sorry. We'll be back. Don't worry about that. Sure you'll be okay?"

"As long as you come home, bubby." She said sweetly. Dash gave Budder a hug and we walked to the door. I held open the door and let my marefriend out. I paused and turned back to Budder. She met eyes with me.

"I love you sis." I said.

"I love you too, bub." She smiled.

 _And so there it is, chapter 8. I really want to hear from all of you. This chapter, as I've said is a turning point in Drake's entire story. Everything will be different from here on out. The story is far from over though. There's still that little diamond theft case that Drake and Dash have to solve. So stick around. I'll try to get the next chapter up tomorrow. Thanks for reading, everypony. Please review._


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

 _I'm back with another chapter, and more intrigue. I hope you all really liked chapter 8. I drew from my heart and soul to write it, and it was my desire that it showed in every word and every sentence. This chapter will have Drake and Dash getting back to the case at hoof. As always, please review. I own nothing but my OC's, which are the intellectual property of me and my little girl. Enjoy the chapter, everypony!_

After leaving the hotel, Dash and I made out way to the Royal Palace again. There was a matter I had to speak to Celestia about before we began our undercover operation. As before, the guards at the gate allowed us passage after I gave my name and rank. At the entrance, the guards recognized me and parted, letting us through. We made our way down the grand hall, replete with its stained glass windows of all of the important events in Equestria's past. We finally came to the gilded door of the Royal Court. I stopped and gave the sentries my name and rank, and as before, one of them entered the chamber for a few moments, before coming back out and letting Dash and I into the inner sanctum of the palace. We entered, and I walked up to the throne and knelt for a moment before Celestia.

"What news do you have for me today, my loyal detective?" Celestia asked, a hint of worry to her voice.

"I am on the track of the diamonds, Your Majesty." I replied. "I have a...meeting of sorts with what could be the culprits themselves." At that, Celestia stood, and walked down the small steps, until she stood before me.

"I do insist that you be careful, Drake." She said. "Both of you. You are putting yourselves in grave danger by doing this."

"I realize that, Your Highness." I said. "But I will solve this case. Danger is only a part of what I do."

"A small part now, from what I understand..." The princess mused. "And it must be so. From what my sister tells me, you have a young foal in your care now."

"Yeah, my little sister. She was in the orphanage here in Canterlot. I...I adopted her." I said. Celestia smiled warmly.

"I am very happy to hear this." She said. "Even with my abilities, it is hard for me to decide who needed a family more...you or she." I nodded solemnly, letting her words sink in. She was right. Of course she was, Celestia is somehow always right... "After this case, I may start having to give you two more...family friendly assignments." She grinned for a moment, then her smile dropped. "I trust you will take good care of her?"

"I would go to the ends of the earth for her." I answered.

"Then you will make a fine guardian for a young foal." Celestia said. "Now...about this assignment..."

"It's a deep, dark hole of conspiracy, princess." I stated. "I've kinda figured a lot of stuff out, but something's been eating at me, and I need to know something."

"Anything that can help you, lieutenant."

"What is the true cost of losing the diamonds, Your Highness?" This caught the princess off guard. She sighed and looked down for a second.

"Honestly, Drake...the true price for the missing diamonds would be a possible war between Equestria and Maretania and its allies. As you know, Maretania has allied itself with Germaneia and several other nations recently. A war would be very costly for all involved."

"I understand." I stated.

"The Maretainian Government has passed strict laws pertaining to such gems...pulled from the ground soaked in the blood of the ponies forced to work in those mines. Unfortunately, there are militant groups in the south of the country who control vast stretches of land containing diamond mines. They continue to mine the stones and export them to countries with no laws prohibiting the trade of the blood diamonds."

"Who is the biggest baddie there? The major player, you know?" I asked.

"From what I understand, it would be General Kareem Uvwheet, a zebra who came to Maretania years ago as a mercenary. He has since formed his own army, and even annexed a part of Maretania as his own private military dictatorship. He has many mines and a great many...subjects under his control."

"And the Maretanians don't do anything about it?" I asked incredulously.

"They won't go anywhere near his territory. The warlord is far too powerful, and his military is quite dangerous and well-trained...even more so than the Maretanian army."

"How did the diamonds get here? Do you know?" I asked.

"That is a mystery even to me, my loyal detective." Celestia replied. "But the Maretanian government is insisting that they be returned to their country. They are reading the delay as a sign that we wish to keep the gems for our own profit on the world market."

"Uh-huh..." I said, thinking. "I believe that's why the diamonds were stolen, Princess."

"To start a war?" Celestia gasped. "Why?"

"I do not know that yet." I admitted. "But it makes too much sense. They've gone to a lot of trouble to keep the diamonds hidden, and made no attempt to sell them or transport them to my knowledge. No, they want Equestria to take the fall for the diamonds."

"You must stop them, Lieutenant Drake." Princess Celestia stated. "Not just for me, or for your duty, but to save countless lives."

"I know that, ma'am." I answered. "And I will. You have my word that I will stop the diamond smugglers or die trying."

"Mm..." Celestia whimpered. "Do try not to die, Drake. Your sister needs you. And besides, what would I do without my best detectives?" I looked to see a little hint of sadness in the monarch's eyes. "My sister would be much saddened as well. She's grown quite fond of you. Which reminds me. Luna sends her greetings, and wishes to meet you and your family after this situation is resolved." I smiled.

"Alright. We will have to do that. You will hear from me soon, one way or the other." I said. "I just need one thing..." With that, Celestia reached back and pulled another satchel of bits from somewhere, and handed them to me.

"Please solve this case, Lieutenant...before you deplete the kingdom's coffers." She jested. I was happy to have a little levity in this grave situation. I chuckled.

"Yes ma'am." I said, taking the bits and placing them into my saddlebag. "Come on, Dashie...the game is ahoof."

"I knew you'd say that someday!" Dash remarked.

"Heheh...I'll see you soon, princess." I said, before turning and leaving to hunt my quarry.

 _Short chapter, I know. But methinks Drake is beginning to piece together the puzzle now. Will he solve the crime before a war is declared? And how deep does the conspiracy really go? Read on to find out. I will have another chapter up later this evening, more than likely. Until then, thank you all so very much for reading, and my special thanks to a few of you who have followed Drake's story from the beginning. You have helped make Drake's saga a reality. Thank you all._

 _-Drake_


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

 _Ugh. Took me forever, but I finally got chapter 10 finished. To set the scene, it's almost two in the morning where I am, and I've been working on this for hours. I promised I'd get it published tonight, and I did it. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter._

We found ourselves in the slums of Canterlot as the sun began to set. Dashie was wearing her black and blue hoodie, with a white bandanna tied around her head, and the hood up, covering part of her face. I wore a rumpled black trench coat and a white bandanna tied around my head like a headband, and amber sunglasses. We looked the part, and now it was time to act the part. As eight o'clock neared, we made our way to the small house that served as the headquarters for The Jeweler. When we reached the door, I knocked loudly. The small sliding window was thrown open.

"Yeah?" The voice from inside greeted.

"Hey, remember me? We 'sposed to be here at eight, right?" I called. The window slid shut, and The Jeweler opened the door.

"Well, get in here." He said. Dash and I walked in, and the criminal shut the door. "Yeah, I want you to know you had me runnin all over Hell to get you what you wanted." He grumbled. I fished out ten bits and tossed them carelessly on his crude table. He scoffed, seemingly satisfied with the small tip. "But I did find those diamonds you were looking for."

"You found a million in rocks, man?" I asked, forcing him to clarify his statement.

"That's not what I said." The Jeweler replied gruffly. "I found ponies who _have_ a million in diamonds. They're hot as Hell, and I don't think they want to deal, but if you're still wantin' to try to buy, I can take you to 'em."

"Heh. We didn't come for the floor show." I remarked.

"Alright, we're burnin' daylight, so let's get goin'." The purveyor of purloined possessions stated. We left his charming little abode, and set out walking along the row of houses. In fact, we walked for some time, until we were no longer in the lower-class part of the city. We started to see warehouses and storage units. We passed by a fenced-in lot full of freight wagons and carts, and past a textile mill. I wondered what the diamonds were doing in the industrial and shipping section of the city, and let this fact work into the rest of my theory, all the information now starting to fit together into a more cohesive picture of what was going on.

"How much further is this place anyway?" I asked, feigning complaint.

"Can it, pal. We're here." The criminal stated. We stood before a small warehouse, which had obviously been abandoned for a few months. We were led up a set of stairs on the outside of the building, to a small door on the second floor. The Jeweler rapped on the door, and we waited a few moments. Finally, the door opened, and the gray stallion motioned to us with his head. The three of us entered the warehouse.

We found ourselves in a room, which had at one time been the main office for the warehouse. It had now seen new life as an obvious headquarters for whatever the four ponies in the room were up to. Behind a desk sat a large dark blue earth pony stallion with a fiery red mane. He regarded us with suspicion and a hint of anger as we stood before him. Nearby were three more ponies, a lime green unicorn mare with a dark green mane, an orange earth pony stallion with a black mane, and a black pegasus stallion with a dark gray mane. They all wore black tight-fitting tactical suits except for the stallion behind the desk, who wore a black leather jacket and a black tie.

"You the ponies that have been asking around about...diamonds?" The pony in the tie asked in an accusatory tone.

"Yeah...I need some rocks..." I replied, keeping up my ruse. "I have some trouble, ya know, and I gotta turn some bits into somethin' the cops ain't lookin' for."

"So why you want diamonds then?" The stallion pressed. I looked around suspiciously.

"Look, I got troubles, okay? Me and my mare here gotta get outta country. I don't feel like givin' my life story...how can I be sure I can trust you guys?" I shot back. The stallion leaned over the desk toward me.

"Hey friend, I'm not the one on trial here. You are. I have my reservations about dealin with some punk off the street myself!" He exclaimed. Alright, that was good. I now knew that these weren't small-time criminals.

"Alright, alright..." I said disarmingly. "Chill...I ain't doubtin' you're on the D.L. Man, I'm just kinda in a hurry to get out of the country before I get myself incarcerated, if you know what I mean."

"Alright, where you headed?" The stallion asked.

"I dunno." I answered. "Somewhere Equestrian cops can't get me. Mexicolt, we were thinkin."

"You're dumber than you look." The stallion returned. "Maybe used to somepony on the lam could go down to Mexicolt, but they got army on both sides of the border now, and them cops down there will arrest you if you're a fugitive, and instead of a nice warm Equestrian jail, you'll be in a Mexicolt shithole eating fried beans and drinking bad water till you die."

"Well, sounds like you're the expert, man. What do you recommend?" I asked.

"I have business dealings in a bunch of non-extradition countries, friend." He replied.

"You mean like places they can't come arrest ya?" I asked.

"That's what I said." He growled. "If you're interested in getting out of country fast, and wanna talk about a...currency exchange, then I might be able to help ya."

"How?" I asked.

"What's your name, punk?" He asked back.

"My name's Nightwork." I answered. And this here's my old mare, Tough Cookie."

"Alright Nightwork, I have an agreement with some partners in Maretania. Ever hear of the place?" Bingo. I'd hit the jackpot.

"Ain't that some hellhole south of nowhere?" I commented.

"You want out of Equestria or not?" He asked. I looked at Dashie and sighed.

"Sure, pal. But I wanna talk turkey on those rocks. You got any?" I answered. He grinned evilly.

"I have over ten million in diamonds." He said. "But I have to make sure if it's okay with my business partners if I can part with a few of them."

"What do we do when we get to Maretania?" I asked.

"Let me set it up just right, and I'll take your bits for the diamonds. Once you get to Maretania, you can trade them back to my partner for gold. Then, the two of you can go anywhere you want. We'll even furnish you some fake ID's. Now, about the diamonds, you wanted a million, right?"

"Yep."

"Well, after transportation of you and your ladyfriend there, and a commission to me and my partners, you won't be getting' a million. It'll be a million bits for 750,000 in diamonds."

"Hey, no way!" I protested. "I get you need a little grease on your hooves, but that's too much, man...how about a mil for 900 G's?"

"You ain't dealin with some local pickpockets here, boy. Eight hundred, take it or leave it."

"You got me in a bad spot, man..." I muttered. "I guess I can do that."

"Good. Now, this will all take place very soon. Do you need a safehouse or...gainful employment till then?" The stallion asked.

"Naw, I got a rock I'm hiding under. How long will it be?"

"Give us two weeks. We have our own business to finish here, then we'll get to you."

"I guess I can live with that, man..." I said. "Show me the rocks." The stallion nodded back to the henchponies behind him. The unicorn walked out the door behind him. "What do I call you, man?" I asked.

"Mister Gray." He answered. Obvious pseudonym, but it might be worth something. The henchpony returned with a briefcase, which he sat on the desk. Mr. Gray opened it, and turned it so I could look inside. The interior was full of rough, uncut diamonds. He quickly slammed the case shut, causing me to jerk my head back. "You've seen them. Now bring your money to me tomorrow night, and we have a deal, Nightwork."

"Midnight?" I asked.

"I like the way you think."

"Alright," I said, turning to Dash. "I think we're done here. Let's get back to our hole."

"Hey Nightwork!" Mister Gray called as I started to leave. I turned back to the crime boss. "You better be on the up-and-up. You try to screw with us, I'll kill you both. Slow." I felt a tinge of fear deep inside. I'd been threatened worse than that before, but for some reason, I actually felt a little scared.

"It's cool man..." I said calmly. "I'm good for it."

"You'd better be. Now get gone, and come back tomorrow night." Gray commanded. I opened the door, and let Dashie out, following her down the stairs, and onto the darkened street. We walked for several minutes without saying a word. I found myself glancing around, certain that we must be being followed. We took a turn down a narrow alley, and on the other side, quickly crossed the street and dashed to another alley, and climbed a fire-escape ladder to the roof of an apartment building. Atop the structure, I walked to a large metal vent, and fell back against it, slumping down onto my flank. I took a deep breath and exhaled sharply.

"Drake?" Dash asked softly, walking up and nuzzling me gently on the cheek with hers. "What's wrong? You ain't scared of those mob idiots are you?" I sighed again, and shook my head.

"On a normal day, Dashie, I'd be more than happy to go hooves and teeth with that whole room. But for some reason...yeah...that did kinda spook me there."

"Why?"

"I don't know, Dashie..." I admitted. "But we can't stop now. You see those stones? We were that close to the blood diamonds. The only reason I didn't try to clean house there is I didn't know how many ponies it would take to kick my ass, but I knew how many he planned on using. I'm sure those mercenaries in the room were a small part of what he had in that warehouse. In fact, I'm pretty damned sure those were some of the mercs that set up the ambush on the EBI agents. You see the knife of that one earth pony?"

"Yeah?"

"I bet that's what made those marks on that boulder...nevermind. We gotta sneak back to the hotel now. I hope we aren't being watched either. We're gonna have to be ghosts all the way back."

"Yep." She agreed.

"Gimme a kiss, sweetheart." I said. Dashie leaned in and we kissed deeply for a moment. We took stock of our surroundings, and began to move from roof to roof for some time, before climbing back down to street level. We darted across another street, down another alley. We climbed to another rooftop and moved along even more roofs, and repeated this until we had gotten to the street across from the Mareiot. We climbed down a ladder, me panting the whole time.

"Not out of breath already, are ya'?" Dashie asked with a grin. Of course I was. I didn't work out every day like my marefriend did.

"I'm getting...too old for this..." I replied, narrowing my eyes at her. Dash giggled.

We entered the hotel, the receptionist staring at us strangely as we passed the front desk. We climbed the stairs and found the hallway our room was on. Walking the corridor, we passed the bellcolt, who did a double take. I nodded and gave a simple greeting. He sighed and shrugged, continuing on his way to wherever he was going. We finally got to our room, and I paused outside the door. It still felt strange to me, knowing that I was coming home to a young filly. I felt almost like one of those stallions in a suit and fedora, coming home from the office to a normal family. What a comical scene that was in my mind...me sitting in a recliner, smoking a pipe and reading the paper whilst Dashie baked a batch of cookies in the kitchen...my little sister coming home from school with a 'gee, school was swell!'

Nope, not in _this_ lifetime. I opened the door, and my mouth fell open.

The room was a wreck. Budder was sprawled across the bed, drawing some sort of strange winged snake/pony hybrid, whilst loud music played in the hotel room. Five mostly-empty plates encircled her, the remains of her food indicating she had eaten chocolate chip cookies, cereal, a grilled cheese sandwich, and what looked like pizza, judging by the pile of crusts. On the nightstand were three empty glasses, and one half-full of a substance that could only be strawberry milk. She looked up and at first gave us a strange look. Then, her gaze softened.

"Bubby!" She squealed, jumping off of the bed and running to me, clamping her forehooves around me. "I missed you so much!" She looked up at me. "I was starting to get kinda freaked out. You guys were gone a long time." I smiled.

"It's alright, sis. I'm back now." She smiled affectionately and hugged me tighter. Then, she let go and gave me a curious glance.

"So...like what are you wearing?" She asked. I looked down, and realized suddenly why everypony in the hotel was looking at Dash and I strangely. We still looked like extras in a rap video.

"We were...undercover." I replied. I looked around the room, the unsightly gaum punctuated by a strange rhythmic electronic noise issuing from a small boom box. "What...is that...sound?" I asked irritably.

"That's called dubstep, bub." Budder explained. "I got DJ PON3's new album so I could listen to music while I drew." I walked over to the bed and looked down at the macabre dreamscapes and bizarre creatures my sister had created on paper.

"You like?" She asked with a hopeful smile. I had to admit, the drawings were pretty good. She was a decent artist for a foal her age, her material was a bit strange, but good nonetheless.

"They're good." I replied. I picked up a drawing that wasn't of some strange beast or nightmare world. It was a crude representation of what could only be myself, Dashie and Budder, standing together, all with big goofy grins on our faces. It almost brought tears to my eyes.

"I'm not too good at drawing ponies..." Budder sighed. I smiled, and took the drawing across the room. I leaned it up against the wall, across from the bed. I adjusted it carefully so it would be able to stand on its own, and turned back to see Budder with tears in her eyes.

"What?" I asked. Oh damn...a crying child...why? What do I do about this?

"Thank you..." She whimpered.

"For what?" I asked. My sister walked closer.

"For being my brother..." She answered. "For...for taking me with you..." She started crying. I stepped forward, and hugged her close.

"Come on now..." I said. "It's alright. You don't have to thank me for anything."

"I...I hated it there, bubby..." She whispered emotionally.

"It's okay..." I reassured her. "You're with us now. You never have to go back to the orph...to the school, okay?"

"I can't..." She said.

"Budder...we're a family now. You got us, and everything's gonna be okay. I promise." She squeezed me tight.

"Thank you." She said again.

"Hey Budder?" I said. I had to get my sister's mind off of this matter. She sniffed and looked up at me. I noticed that her eyes had changed color, becoming a more brilliant light blue, tinged with only a hint of gray. "It looks like you really pigged out while we were gone, huh? How can one little foal eat so dang much, anyway."

"Heheh..." She managed a weak chuckle. "I dunno...when I'm stressed out, I either like...don't eat at all, or I eat everything I see."

"Hm...and I see this time, it was the latter." I said with a laugh. I mussed her mane in a soft nookie. "Won't you help us clean...and please...for the love of Celestia...turn off that weird music-like noise."

"Heehee, okay, bub." Budder giggled. She turned off the music, and the three of us proceeded to clean the mess that used to be a hotel room. When we were finished, I was dead tired from parkouring all over Canterlot.

"Ummm...Dashie?" I said nervously. "We uh...we only have one bed..."

"So?" Dash asked. "Can't we share?"

"I...I dunno..." I stammered. "Isn't she a little old to...share a bed with...grownups?" I asked, feeling very uncomfortable.

"I really don't care..." Budder shrugged.

"Well...I dunno...I kinda..." I said, thinking about the situation. I finally rang the bell. A few moments later, a maid was at the door. I assumed the bellcolt was off work.

"Ma'am..." I said to the mare in the black and white uniform. "Can you please bring me an extra blanket and a couple pillows?"

"Si, si...I bring you blanket an' pillows." She replied in a slow, mexicolt accent. "You need room service, senor?"

"No ma'am, just a blanket and pillows." I replied.

"No room service? I bring lemon plege." She said.

"No...just some bedclothes." I repeated.

"I bring lemon plege." She said. I rolled my eyes.

"Senora, No quiero servicio de habitaciones o Lemon Pledge. Quiero una manta y dos almohadas y las quiero ahora **.** Now andele...por...favor!"

"Si." The chubby maid nodded, and hobbled off. I turned back into the room. Dashie was giggling.

"Wow." Budder remarked. "Do you speak Mexicolt?"

"And Prench." Dash added.

"Coooool." Budder smiled, looking at me like I was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I wondered what was going to happen when she saw her new home. She was going to go into some kind of shock, no doubt. The maid soon returned with the pillows and blanket, and after a small argument about furniture polish and a Senor Griffin, I gave her a quick gracias and closed the door.

"Now we got the bed thing sorted out." I explained.

"Okay. I can sleep on the floor." Budder shrugged.

"Like Hell you will...I mean like Heck you will!" I returned. "You girls can have the bed. Let the old soldier sleep on the floor."

"You sure?" Budder asked, looking concerned.

"Aww...I've slept in worse." I said. "Out in the badlands, you don't have soft beds and comforters. Gotta make do with a scratchy wool blanket and your saddlebags."

"You were in the badlands?" Budder asked as she and Dashie climbed into bed.

"Yup. When I was in the cavalry." I answered. I made myself comfortable, and lay back, staring up at the plaster ceiling. Dashie blew out the last lantern, plunging the room into darkness. "Night Dashie."

"Good night, sweetheart." Dash called from the bed. I suddenly became aware of the silhouette of my sister looking down on me from the bed above.

"Hey bub?"

"Yeah, sis?" I asked, feeling sleep coming closer. I yawned.

"Tell me about being in the cavalry." She said cutely. "You see a lot of cool stuff?"

"The good, the bad and the ugly." I replied. "But that's a tale for another day. Time for sleep now, sis."

"I got the most awesome brother ever." Budder said. I knew she was smiling at me.

"Yeah you do." I heard Dash agree. Budder giggled lightly. This was my family. This was my heaven, and I liked it.

"G'night. Love you, sis." I muttered.

"Love you too bubby. Good night."

 _This chapter really speaks to the dichotomy of Drake's life now. He goes from being threatened by mobster ponies to having a sweet moment with his family. He still hasn't found his balance yet, but he no doubt will, one way or another. I would really like to hear your input on this chapter, as well as on how you all think the story is progressing. I will not be putting up another chapter for the next couple days. Budder is over this weekend, and we're going hunting. My Budder always comes before writing, or any other selfish pursuits, so I will have the next chapter up Sunday night or Monday afternoon. Until then, thanks for reading, everypony. Please send me reviews. ^_^ -Drake_


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

 _Hello, everypony, I'm finally back with chapter 11. Doing the math, I realized that this fic will be every bit as long as the second volume, so I decided to take this entire chapter to give Drake, Dash and Budder a little family time. I hope you all enjoy. Now, I must mention that Budder is nearly a perfect representation of the real-life Budder (as Drake is of myself), so what you read here is essentially what it is like between me and my little girl. Yes, we are this weird. Do please review. Enjoy!_

I awoke the next morning, still laying on the floor of the hotel room, wrapped in the comforter. I yawned, and started to sit up, but something was holding me down. I felt a weight on my shoulder, and as sleep faded away and I grew more conscious, I realized that my sister was laying next to me, atop the comforter, and had her head resting on my shoulder. She was fast asleep with a peaceful look on her face. I sighed. Looking up, I saw Dashie peering down at us from upon the bed. She had a loving look on her face. I smiled and scoffed lightly.

"That's really sweet, Drake." Dash whispered. "I think she's really attached to you already."

"Heh...yeah, like a tumor." I whispered back and chuckled. I gently lifted Budder off of my shoulder, and got up, setting her head on the pillow and covering her with the comforter. I sat down beside Dashie and rubbed my face, getting rid of any residual sleepiness, and wishing for a cup of coffee. "Ain't she a little old to be doing that?" I asked, motioning toward my sister.

"You think she was ever able to get that kind of attention growing up?" Dash countered. "Scoots did that a couple times too. I think it's some sub-conscience psycho-mumbo thing."

"Sub-conscience psycho-mumbo thing?" I deadpanned.

"Hey, you're the smart guy." Dash grinned. "You figure it out."

"Yeah...if I'm gonna figure out how to take care of a foal, I need some caffeine first." I replied. "What time is it, anyway?"

"Like eleven or something." Dash answered.

"Ughhh..." I groaned. "I want to get this assignment outta the way and get home. This whole international crime ring thing is getting boring fast."

"Only you would say something like that." Dash said, rolling her eyes. I reached up, and pulled the lanyard above the bed. As we waited for the hotel employee to arrive, I took the pad of paper and pen from beside the bed and quickly composed a letter:

 **Agent Shackleford,**

 **I have discovered the location of the stones, and the culprits. Now in the process of cracking this thing wide open. I will be at the old brownstone warehouse on Maypole Avenue at midnight. Bring as many agents as you can, and come well-armed at Zero-dark-fifteen. Hit the warehouse on the main floor, front and back at the same time. Expect heavy resistance, but if you hit hard and fast, you will catch them unawares. My partner and I will handle the big fish upstairs. Don't be late Rusty, or it's my flank.**

 **-D**

I folded up the letter, and addressed it to the EBI special agent at his office in the Hoofer Building in Manehattan. I grabbed another piece of paper, and quickly wrote:

 **Princes Celestia.**

 **We have located the gems. Moving in now to intercept. Need police at the brownstone warehouse on Maypole Avenue at 12:15 tonight. They will work with the EBI. May not be able to apprehend all of the major players in this, but hopefully, you will have good news for the King of Maretania by tomorrow morning.**

 **-Drake**

I folded up this letter, and addressed it simply 'To Princess Celestia, From Lt. Drake" It was almost time to put my plan into motion. We would meet with Mister Gray at midnight about buying the diamonds. At fifteen after, we would initiate a two-prong attack on the diamond smugglers. Dash and I would jump Gray at the same moment the authorities invaded the warehouse. Simple and elegant. That's how I liked to keep things. Make things too complicated, and something was bound to go wrong. There was a knock at the door, and I walked over and opened it to see none other than my old buddy the bellcolt.

"You live here?" I asked with a grin.

"Huh? Oh! No sir...just been working a lot of overtime." He replied. "Saving up for college."

"Oh. What do you want to major in?" I asked.

"Hotel Management." He smiled. "What can I get you today?"

"A big cup of coffee. Black and extra strong." I replied. "And I have some letters I need sent to a couple ponies as soon as possible. You know how I can get a letter to Manehattan before this evening?"

"Whew...that's a long way." He replied. I grinned.

"Hey, you need money, right?" I asked.

"Yes sir."

"How much you make an hour?"

"Five bits." He answered. I did the math. It took 4 hours to make it to Manehattan.

"Alright...I'll make a deal with you." I said, grabbing my bag of bits from my saddlebags by the door. "You tell your boss that you have a family emergency in Manehattan, and you have to take off till tonight. You take this letter here to EBI headquarters, and make damn sure Special Agent Rusty Shackleford gets it. I'll give you twenty bits now, and when tomorrow comes, I'll make sure you get one hundred bits."

"A hundred bits?!" The bellcolt exclaimed. "That letter must be really important."

"Very." I stated. "A hundred and twenty bits if you can do it. Plus, you'll be doing a service to your country. Whaddya say?" The bellcolt stared at me a moment, then his lips turned up in a smile.

"Well, did you know my great-aunt Maple just fell down the stairs, sir?"

"I did not know that." I grinned back. I handed him the letter. "Maybe after you get me that coffee, and take this other letter to Princess Celestia, you should go visit her."

"Yes sir." The young hotel employee replied. He took the letters, and twenty bits and galloped off.

"Took care of that." I chuckled, turning back into the room.

"The way you throw money at that poor bellcolt, he's gonna quit when we check out and follow you around like a puppy." Dash grinned.

"Good, I could use a gopher." I returned with a chuckle.

"A...gopher..." Budder asked weakly, finally awake and rubbing her eyes. "What about a gopher, bub?"

"Oh, you just missed my gopher." I said.

"You have a...gopher...whaaa?" Budder asked groggily, confused.

"Yep. I say 'gopher a cup of coffee, gopher this message delivery, and he does it. At least I'm helping to put him through college." I said. I don't know how rich snoots could bring themselves to order their servants around for little pay. I was giving that young stallion twice his normal wages, and that's all that kept me from feeling bad about running him around so much.

"Wait...you have a gopher that's going to college?" Budder asked. I chuckled.

"No sis...it was a joke, nevermind." I said with a wave. "Well...it's still early, what do you guys wanna do?"

"Hungry." My sister stated. I slowly upraised my right eyebrow.

"Are you ever _not_ hungry, sis?" I asked.

"Heehee."

"Alright. Let's go down to that classy restaurant down by the lobby and scare us up some grub." I said, grabbing the bag of bits off of the table.

The three of us soon found ourselves sitting at a table with a white cloth in the Mareiot's fancy little restaurant. Budder looked like she was completely out of place. Before each of us, on either side of the menus were three forks and three spoons, and my sister poked at them like she was trying to figure them out. Dash and I stared at her strange antics until she looked up and saw us watching her.

"Having problems, Budder?" I asked.

"Three...spoons...why?" My sister asked as if it were driving her mad just pondering on the mystery.

"Salad fork, dinner fork, desert fork." I explained, pointing at the utensils. "Teaspoon, soup spoon, desert spoon. Butter knife, dinner knife." I finished. "Don't ask me why or how I know all that. Rich types gotta have a spoon and fork for each course of the meal. Strange, huh? Heheh."

"But why do they have...three freakin' spoons?" My sister questioned.

I've been tryin' to figure that out for years, kid." Dashie said, nudging Budder playfully.

"Ahem..." A waiter in a white coat cleared his throat. "Welcome to the Bistro Mareiot. My name is Lefaucheux. And what may I get for you this afternoon?"

"Bonjour Monsieur Lafaucheux." I said, noticing his Prench accent. "Comment aleez vous? I would like a plate of the goat cheese on rye points and une tasse de cafe noir s'il vous plait."

"You're only getting goat cheese and toast?" Dashie asked.

"Appetizers first in this place, then main course, then desert." I explained.

"Oh...okay...I guess I'll take a...bowl of this lentil and black bean soup?" Dash said, studying the menu. "And a sweetened ice tea."

"Excellent choice, ma'am." The waiter nodded. "And for the young miss?" We all looked at Budder. She looked around and shrugged.

"What do you want as an appetizer?" I asked.

"I dunno..." She answered. "Pick something, I guess."

"You like salad?" I asked my sister.

"I like lettuce." She answered.

"Okay...one salad, mostly lettuce." I said to the waiter. "You want salad dressing? Cheese, anything like that?"

"Um...can they put...salt on it? I like salt."

"Oh lord..." I mumbled. "Yes, garcon...A salad consisting mostly of lettuce, salted to perfection." I looked back at my sister. "Drink?"

"Huh?"

"What do you want to drink?" I repeated.

"Oh...um...uh...chocolate...milk?"

"You heard the foal." I said to the waiter, rolling my eyes. The waiter nodded and walked away.

"Um...sis?" I asked. "Why are you so indecisive?"

"I dunno..." She replied. "I guess I never really got to pick anything by myself. I'm not used to deciding stuff."

"You ought to work on that." I stated. "From now on, your life isn't gonna be as...structured as it was at the school. You get to wear what you want, eat what you want and go where you want...to a certain degree. I gotta be a responsible adult here, ya know?"

"You, a responsible adult?" Dash grinned.

"Shup." I shot back playfully. "Oh, that reminds me...we gotta clean out that guest bedroom. I've been using it for storage. Too lazy to haul junk up to the attic. You help, sis, and you can have your own bedroom. It's got an attached bathroom, and a walk-in closet, so you pretty much have your own little house inside a house.

"Wow..." Budder remarked. "How big is your house?"

"Eh...not that big." I said. "It's just a three bedroom two story."

"Oh." My sister replied. "That's still a big house."

"Your appetizers." The waiter pony said courteously, placing our first course and our drinks in front of us.

"Merci." I said gratefully.

After lunch, which consisted of fancy dishes that dash and Budder had obviously never even heard on, and I was only vaguely aware existed, we walked from the hotel onto the streets of Canterlot.

"What do you guys wanna do now?" I asked.

"Shopping?" Dash asked back. "They have a store here in Canterlot that has a _ton_ of Woderbolts swag."

"Of course." I muttered. Yes, Dashie was still a huge fangirl of the Wonderbolts. "We'll stop in. Ought to have time before our appointment tonight. What about you, sis? You want anything special?"

"I dunno." She replied. I stopped and gave her a stern look and huffed a sigh.

"Budder..." I said. "Do you want me to buy you anything or not? I have the bits, and you don't have to be so reserved about it. You need a nice outfit or toys or anything? We don't have much that a foal might find...interesting at our place." I thought for a minute. "What do you like anyway...I mean what are your hobbies and stuff?"

"I like drawing..." Budder replied.

"Okay, I'll get you a sketch book and some pencils." I nodded. "What else?

"Um...I like reading and music..."

"Then I shall buy thee books!" I grinned. Budder giggled. "What else? Kinda clothes and toys you like?"

"I dun really play with...toys..." My sister replied.

"Okay..." I said. "Over there is a Books and More. We're gonna go in there. You're gonna pick out some reading material and a sketch book. Then, I'm gonna buy it. Can you live with that, oh dear sister?"

"Heehee...yeeahhhh..." She smiled. "Thanks, bub."

"Heh. Don't mention it. You're in my care now, which means I'm going to be spending an inordinate amount of money on you, no doubt. Might as well get started now."

"She's a good investment though." Dash grinned, giving Budder a light noogie.

"Yep." I agreed. We walked into the book store, and I motioned for Budder to go off in search of something she would like to read. Dash and I browsed through the shelves ourselves, me wandering off into the military section. I saw something I couldn't live without, a copy of cavalry weapons of the classical period. Oddly, it was on sale for 75% off. Who could resist? I snatched it immediately. Nearby, another book caught my eye. Amid the larger volumes, there was a smallish book of only a half an inch thick. I chuckled to myself. It was a copy of my book, 'A Brief History of the Equestrian Military.' I picked it up. This would make a perfect gift for my sister. And it was half off. I didn't know how that made me feel.

"Hey Drake." Dash said, walking up. "Check it out! They have the new Daring Do book." I rolled my eyes. "And I found this really nice sketch book."

"Get em both." I said. I looked around. "Where is my sister?"

"Right here, bub!" Budder called from behind me. I jumped a little and turned around.

"How did you..." I remarked. She had actually managed to sneak up on me. "Ugh...okay, what did you find?" I asked, noticing the two books she carried. She held them up proudly. One was a collection of real-life ghost stories from Equestria, and the other was a book called 'Spooky Legends of the Everfree Forest'.

"You like your ghosts, don't ya, kid?" Dash commented.

"Yup!" My sister replied with a big smile. "Can I get 'em?"

"Welp...I did say...find something you like..." I had to agree. We bought our books, and right there at the counter, I borrowed a pen from the mare at the register, and opened the copy of my book. On the flyleaf, I penned the following message:

 **To my wonderful little sister. I hope you enjoy this book more than the public has. Your new life has begun, and I will be there every step of the way. I'm glad we found each other.**

 **Your Brother,**

 **-Drake**

With that, I handed it back to the mare to place in our bag. We left the bookstore, and after a quick stop at the shop Dashie wanted to see, and spending four bits on a Wonderbolts tote bag for Dashie, we picked up some snacks at a small grocer and headed back to the hotel. As soon as we got into the lobby, the mare at the counter seemed to recognize me.

"Sir?" She called politely. "There was a gentlecolt here earlier asking for you."

"Oh really?" I asked, wondering who in this town even knew me enough to be asking about me. It seemed a bit suspicious. "And what was their name, ma'am?"

"Oh, they didn't say, sir." She replied. "In fact, they didn't seem to know your name, either. He asked for the white stallion with the long black mane and tail who was staying here with the blue mare. I told him that I wasn't sure who you were, but that you were out, and I didn't know when you would be back."

"Uh-huh." I mused. "Anything else?"

"Well, he asked which room you were in, and I told him that I couldn't tell him what room you were in because I didn't know your name, and had no way of looking it up. He seemed a bit upset."

"Okay...what did my caller look like?" I asked. "Do you remember?"

"Yes...he was a black pegasus with a gray mane. Do you know him?"

"Yes I do." I answered, suddenly feeling a bit sick to my stomach.

"What do you want to tell him if he comes back, sir?"

"Tell him I checked out." I said. "I don't want to talk to him, so just tell him I'm not here."

"I understand, sir." The mare replied. No you don't, and you don't want to. I motioned to my family, and we moved quickly across the lobby, up the stairs and into our room. I closed the door and locked it before turning back to Dash and Budder. This was getting serious. Mister Gray had us followed somehow. Either that, or somepony had spilled the beans, making it even more probable that somepony in the EBI was working with or working for the smugglers. Meaning that one way or the other, my family may be in danger. That did not sit right with me at all.

"Dashie, when we go to our...meeting tonight, we gotta be be careful. Watch my six, and I'll watch yours." I said.

"Totally." Dash agreed, obviously feeling the same as I was about this entire mess. If we showed up at midnight like we'd planned, who was to know what was gonna happen. If we didn't, all Hell would break loose, and we may lose our one and only chance to catch the smugglers and solve the case before a war could break out. It was a bad situation to be in, but we had no other option. We had to keep our appointment with this Mister Gray and his army of mercenaries.

 _Sorry for the lengthy delay in posting this one. There was stuff...heh. I will try to have the next chapter up by tomorrow night. I have an interview on KET tomorrow afternoon, so I won't be able to start writing until tomorrow evening. Gotta go be a local celebrity and all. Anyway, the next chapter is more exciting than this one was. I just felt it was necessary to give them all a little family time, and you the readers needed to be introduced more to Budder's character. She'll surprise you, just wait. So until next time, thanks for reading, everypony, and please review._


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

 _First off, I wanna say...whoever the guest is who keeps commenting on the cavalry aspect of Drake's saga...you know your stuff. You are the only person on here who got the Lefaucheux reference, and possibly one out of a million folks who would. PM me sometime. You MUST be a military historian or a cavalry reenactor, and I'd be happy to converse with you._

 _Next, the story will probably be over in the next three chapters. Just a warning. But fear not...volume 5 is a really good read, and many of you will enjoy it, I'm sure. The story picks up now, so I'll shut up and let you read it. Please send me reviews. I own my OC, and Budder owns hers, that's about it._

Dash and I walked the streets of Canterlot, on our way to our appointment with Mister Gray. I was miserable. We had left Budder alone in the Hotel room with instructions to keep the door locked and to not answer for anyone. I had left a dagger with her, and hoped with all I had that my little sister would not have to use it. This case had become darker than I had imagined. Could it be that there was some vast conspiracy going on? Who all was actually involved in the diamond operation? It was a quatrefoil problem that plagued me now. I was worried about my sister, I had this meeting which I knew was doomed to end badly, Dash and I were being followed, and I did not know who to even trust anymore. I mentally went through the situation as I perceived it.

Obviously, this Mister Gray was a high-level criminal, with international dealings. That is how he had met this General Kareem Uvwheat, who undoubtedly had become a general by killing his way to the top. They had made a deal in which millions in Maretanian Blood Diamonds had been sent with Gray and his private army to ensure that Equestria would be blamed for the heist. This Gray had hired well-trained commandos to protect the diamonds and make damned sure that they stayed hidden. The mercenaries were probably either a terrorist cell, a militia, or a rogue faction of the Equestrian Military. The scary thought was that it was possible that there were ponies in Equestrian government and in the military playing into all of this. Maybe somepony wanted a coup.

"We're gonna have to watch ourselves." I muttered to Dash. "I have a feeling this could get bad."

"I know." My marefriend replied in a low voice. "I got your back, Drake. Just like always."

"Heh. And I got yours. We gotta try and come back from this one. I think if I got myself killed, my sister would kill me."

"I wouldn't blame her..." Dash replied. "You make sure you win, Drake. I don't care how many ponies we gotta take on. You win." I nodded, reading into what she said. Those words became a psychological tributary, feeding into the river of what I had already been feeling. I had a family now, ponies who needed me. I'd only known what this was like for a few months now. Having Rainbow Dash there the last eight months had changed my life completely. I had never had that kind of companionship before. I had never had somepony in my life who needed me, whom I needed. I was still getting used to it, and all of a sudden, I had a little filly to take care of too. It had never been like this before...not even with Spring Shower. I shook my head, forcing myself out of my thoughts, and back to reality. You can't get too caught up in your personal life in a moment like this. It could get you killed. We had a job to do.

Up ahead, we saw the warehouse that was to be our destination. I gave Dashie a small smile and nodded. She returned a confident grin, and we began to climb the steps to the second-floor door of the building. It was midnight. It was time. With a moment's hesitation over, I knocked on the door. There was no answer. I gave Dashie a worried look and knocked again. Again, there was no answer. I slid my right hoof underneath my trench coat and felt the handle of the bowie knife I had strapped to my belt. My hoof went to the doorknob, and I turned it slowly and pushed open the door.

The room inside was empty. There was no sign of Mr. Gray or his militant cadre. No sign of the diamonds. I felt uneasy almost immediately. I quickly pulled the bowie knife and held it in an underhand grip as I threw open the door to the rest of the warehouse. There was nopony inside the large open area. Only the sound of silence as the light of a full moon dimly lit the warehouse floor through the tall windows. We crept down the stairs and silently cleared every nook and cranny before trudging back up halfway on the stairs. I sighed, and sat back against the wall.

"We missed 'em, Dashie..." I whispered. I tapped the blade of my knife against the concrete steps rhythmically. "They knew. Somehow...once again, the bastards were one step ahead of us again. They knew we were coming, and they left. And now there's gonna be the devil to pay..."

"Drake..." Dash whispered softly, sitting beside me.

"How did they know?!" I called in the empty warehouse.

"Maybe they tracked us..." My marefriend suggested.

"I can't see it..." I groaned. "How can I believe they were able to follow us all the way to the hotel, and then figure out that we posed enough danger to their operation that they had to run? Shit...they knew, Dashie...they found out that there were gonna get hit tonight. Otherwise they'd have just waited on us and killed us both right here." I let my head fall back against the wall. "A tip." I muttered.

"What?"

"I guaran-damn-tee that the same pony who told them the agents had the diamonds told them we were detectives." I said. "Oh...backup has arrived."

"Huh?" Dash asked. I closed my eyes just before a blast of unicorn magic created a blinding flash of light that would have stunned anypony in the room. The doors to the warehouse were thrown open, and EBI agents stormed in, replete in their tactical vests and helmets. The first ponies in the formations were armed with crossbows, the rest with batons. They secured the floor, and moved up the stairs. I sat lazily on the steps and waved them by as they passed. Soon entered Special Agent Shackleford, who for some reason was wearing his sunglasses at 12:15 at night. He spotted us on the stairs and joined us with a curious look.

"I assume this is the location you spoke of in your letter." Shackleford said, unamused. "So where are the smugglers, Drake?"

"It was a double-cross..." I answered. "They knew we were coming, and they left."

"How?" Shackleford demanded. "How do they keep knowing what we're doing?!"

"Because somepony keeps telling them." I replied matter-of-factly.

"Who are we looking for?"

"Well, this one stallion who calls himself Mister Gray. He's the ringleader here. He had about twenty mercenaries with him.

"Did you see..."

"No." I cut him off. "But you see those three weapons cases? There's a 200 gallon water tank down there too, along with a mostly-empty pallet of rations. They have an army, and they have plenty of weapons." I sighed. "We have to find the mole. Dammit, they knew where I was staying, Rusty...oh...shit." I suddenly realized that they may try to hit the hotel. Budder. "I gotta get back to the hotel. Stay here and secure the warehouse and look for clues. If I send for you, you better come packing."

"Yes...absolutely." Shackleford nodded. "Oh, Drake?"

"What? I gotta go."

"Then come this way. I took the liberty of bringing you something from your house." The EBI special agent said, leading us down the stairs and out the door.

"How the Hell did you get into my house?" I demanded.

"Didn't know where you kept your spare key, so I had one of my agents use a window." Shackleford replied. We reached a Black Maria, and the agent opened the back door and reached in. He pulled out a familiar weapon...my dragoon saber. He handed it to me. "Thought you might need this. You cavalryponies don't plan ahead very well, Drake." I took the sword and scoffed, a slight smile on my face.

"Naw, Rusty...we think on our hooves." I shot back, buckling the sabre belt on. I threw off my disguise. "Come on, Dashie, we gotta get to the hotel." With that, we broke into a jog down the street.

"Wait...Lieutenant Drake?" Shackleford called after us. "What hotel? What's wrong?"

We approached the Mareiot, but I had already decided that we weren't going to use the front door. I led Rainbow Dash around to the side, where we found a door marked 'Employees Only'. I pushed open the door, and we swiftly entered, making our way through the laundry room, to another door that let out into the lobby, near where the hall to the first floor block of rooms began. I cracked open the door and peered out. Sure enough, in the lobby, just by the front door was a stallion in a black tactical jumpsuit, sitting in an armchair, covertly watching the door. Nearer to us was a dark brown mare in sunglasses, pretending to read a newspaper. The way she kept casting glances toward the stallion and to the entrance to the hall told me she was interested in more than just the classifieds.

"Alright Dashie, my love..." I said. "The ol' one-two-skadoo. You take the girl, I'll get the guy."

"Why do I always have to get the girl?" Dash whispered, rolling her eyes.

"'Cause you already apprehended a good stallion." I shot back with a grin. "Alright. I'm gonna walk right past the Valkyrie here. She's paying attention to the hall. I think I can get close enough to Bumbly Joe over there to get the jump on him. See if you can't take out the mare quietly, and I'll buffalo him. Got it?"

"Sure thing."

"Alright...aaaaannnnnd go." With that, I strolled confidently from the laundry room, with my back to the mare with the newspaper, keeping my gaze locked securely on the stallion in the chair. Just before I reached him, I heard a loud thump from behind me, followed by the crash of a random piece of furniture. So much for quiet. The stallion snapped up from the chair and turned to face me. I attempted to draw my saber, but the mercenary closed the gap and blocked my leg from pulling the sword completely from the sheath. He threw a punch with his right hoof, which I blocked with my left. He headbutted me, and I let myself fall back a couple paces to regroup. The stallion however, simply stepped with me, and I felt a blow to my jaw. I swung wide, but he blocked my punch. I dove low, underneath him, and threw him to the floor.

"Surrender..." I panted. Amazingly, the stallion leaped up to his hooves, and spun about, kicking me in the chest. I fell back, and he was atop me instantly. I got slugged in the face again, and finally seeing an opportunity, I reached down and drew my saber up as hard as I could, striking my attacker in the bottom of the chin with the pommel, stunning him long enough to work my sword out enough to start sending blows into him using the hoofguard like a set of brass knuckles. I kicked him off, and as he started to stand, I hit him hard across the face, sending him back down. He started to stand again, and I turned around and bucked him full-force in the head, knocking him out. I looked to see Dashie standing by the front desk, panting. Her mane was messed up, and she had a thin trickle of blood running out of her nose. At her hooves was the female commando, unconscious. Around her was a disaster zone of broken chairs and tables, and an overturned potted plant.

"You alright?" I asked, walking up to Dash. She wiped her nose and sighed.

"She wouldn't go down easy, man..." My marefriend explained. "So I had to hit her with a chair."

"It's the detectives!" A voice called. We looked to see something that made my stomach turn over. There were five commandos and the black stallion from Gray's office standing in the hall. Two of them had my sister held tightly.

"Bubbyyyy!" Budder cried out.

"Let her go!" I yelled. "It's me you want!"

"No, it's the foal." The stallion replied evilly. "You're gonna be awful sorry you fucked with the plan." I took a step toward the group. "Stop. That's close enough. Take another step, and your little filly here dies now." I watched as one of the ponies holding my sister pulled a switchblade and flicked it open, holding the knife to Budder's neck. "Extraction team, move!" He ordered. The two ponies with my sister, along with another of the mercenaries turned and made quickly for the door at the end of the hall. Dash and I now stood facing three ponies. "Assault team, move in!" The stallion bellowed. An additional three ponies in tactical gear materialized from the surroundings, and stood behind and in front of us. Correction...four ponies. Another joined the black stallion and his cadre from a nearby room. I looked around at the unbeatable force of violent bushwhackers that faced us, and said the only thing I could think of.

"Damn...did Mister Gray put in a special order to Bad Guys R Us?"

"Close his smart-ass mouth." The black stallion growled. I drew my saber as the mercenaries moved toward us. The first lunged at me with a sword. I parried the stroke and sliced his neck, using his body as a wall to spin about and thrust the blade of my sword into another of the ponies. I felt a hard blow on my head as another commando hit me with a baton. It was about to get bad when I heard something I thought I'd never be glad to hear.

"EBI! Everypony freeze!" The voice of Agent Shackleford called.

"EVAC! MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!" The leader of the commandos yelled. The ponies bolted down the hall, with half a dozen EBI agents after them. Shackleford trotted up to Dash and I.

"You looked like you may have needed backup, lieutenant." Shackleford commented.

"You saved the bad ponies from me yet again." I groused. "Come on, Dash...we gotta get Budder!" We galloped toward the front door of the hotel.

"Damn it all, Lieutenant! Who's Budder?!" Shackleford yelled. "And you're welcome!"

 _So the case takes a terrible turn as Budder is kidnapped by the smugglers. Any of you see that coming?Can Drake get her back before it's too late? What about the diamonds? What's gonna happen next? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out. Chapter 13 will will be up tomorrow. I hope you all liked this chapter. Until next time, thanks for reading, everypony. Please review._


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

 _As promised everypony, I'm back with chapter 13. I hope you all enjoy this one. I know you can't wait to see what happens, so I won't keep you. Please read and review._

The mercenaries were long gone, and the EBI agents had lost the trail. I knew that fact didn't really mean much. I could pick up a trail on a sidewalk in a rainstorm at night. Dash and I followed the path the foal-nappers had taken across the small courtyard outside the hotel. It was easy to find their hoofprints in the soft dirt of the flower bed by the road. From there, the prints stopped. I looked around. They had obviously taken a carriage or wagon. I had to keep tracking. My sister needed me, and I was gonna find her, no matter what. Alright Drake...stop worrying and put those damned tracking skills to use. Get inside your adversaries' heads. They got in a wagon. We're on a street. They could have only gone one of two ways. To the left would have taken them toward the castle and the government buildings of Canterlot. To the right would take them toward the business section of town.

"Let's go." I stated, going to the right. There was no way a group of armed mercenaries would take a hostage into the government sector of town. We hurried down the street with me trying to deduce where they could be heading. With a hostage, they would want to go somewhere private and secluded, so their presence wouldn't be noticed, and my sister couldn't summon help. We stopped at a street corner. Something didn't add up. They needed a place to regroup. Where could a platoon of mercs meet up where they could stash the diamonds, their weapons, a hostage, and still be unseen?

"Drake?" Dash inquired.

"They're not in the business district." I said. But I have an idea..." I looked around, and saw a newspaper kiosk on the corner. "Hey! Hey mister!" I called out. The newspaper vendor looked up. "You see a carriage go through here a few minutes ago? Had a couple ponies in black and a tan foal with 'em?"

"I thinks so, yeah." The stallion replied. "Those guys come through here likes they's goin to a fiah. Turned and went down that-a-way." He pointed down the street that intersected the one we'd come down.

"Thank ya." I nodded, and we took off at a dead gallop down the new street. I had an idea that the ponies who had taken my sister were heading back toward the industrial side of town. Not to their old warehouse, of course, but these guys were easy for me to read. They were military-trained. In any military operation, you always have a bug-out plan. You always have to have a secondary fall-back location just in case your plan goes to Hell. They no doubt had another building in the area, and had it prepped in case of something like this. Now to do the math. They had at least twenty soldiers. They had a bunch of stolen diamonds. They needed food and supplies. They needed...

"Transportation!" I exclaimed, stopping abruptly. "They need a way to move the diamonds, the mercs and their supplies. "They're gonna want at least two wagons, probably covered jobs...freight wagons!"

"There was a lot full of freight wagons just down the road from that warehouse we were at!" Dash added.

"Yup." I nodded. "They're gonna move the diamonds out of country soon, I guarantee it. They want my sister as leverage so we don't try to pursue them."

"What are we gonna do?" Dash asked.

"Pursue them." I said through clenched teeth. I wiped a lock of black mane from my sweat-covered forehead. "I'm gonna find those militia bastards, get Budder back, and rip that Mister Gray's face off." I remembered a store nearby that I had seen when Dash and I had walked to the warehouse. Soon, I found the business. It was an army surplus store, with a mannequin in the window, wearing a suit of armor. "Wait here." I said. "I gotta pick up a few things." I pulled the bag of bits from my belt and walked into the store.

"Can I help you, sir?" The proprietor greeted as I entered. I gave the small store a quick once-over.

"Yeah. You got black and gray camo sticks?"

"Sure thing."

"Gimme one. And a pair of field glasses. Get those for me, and I'm gonna shop around a bit." As the owner retrieved the items I requested, I grabbed a duffel bag, and began to pull necessary items from the shelves. Two canteens, a length of rope, a kukri knife, a pound of black powder and a roll of fuse. I lay all of this on the counter, and the owner of the surplus store looked at me curiously.

"What do you need with all this stuff?" He asked, eyeing my purchases. I pulled my military ID and flipped it open.

"Goin' hunting." I replied grimly. I stuffed all of the items, including the binoculars and the camo paint stick into the bag, and tossed the bag of bits on the counter. I knew I had overpayed, but at this point, I didn't give a damn and a half. I exited the store, and met Dash on the sidewalk. "'Kay, we're ready now." I jogged on, with Rainbow Dash close behind. When we were two blocks from the warehouse with the carts and wagons in front, I halted. "Alright." I muttered. "Recon. Let's get on top of the roof across from the warehouse, and see what we can see. We need a plan, and it'd better be a good one." We climbed the ladder at the back of the building across the road from the suspect warehouse. On the roof, I took out the camo stick, and painted my face with black and gray. I tossed it to Dashie, who followed suit, applying the grease paint to her face and neck. I crept to the edge, and lay down. I pulled the camo net from the duffel bag and threw it over me. I drew out the field glasses and motioned for Dash to join me. Together, we lay on the lip of the roof, staring out at the warehouse.

"What's the plan then?" Dash whispered.

"Observe. I wanna make sure they're in there." I whispered back. "If they are, I'm gonna go in tonight and get Budder. If there's anything left for Rusty to clean up, it means I didn't do a good enough job."

"Geez, Drake..." Dash commented. She'd never seen this side of me before. I was beyond angry. They took my little sister. In doing, the smugglers had backed me into a corner.

"This ain't no heist anymore." I muttered. "They got my sister, Dashie...it's a war. And if they want a war, I'll give it to them."

"Just be careful, okay?" Dash pleaded.

"I'm getting Budder out of there. That's for sure." I replied. "Heh. Look...there's one of the asshats now." One of the mercenaries was walking around the building, probably a guard on his rounds. Through my field glasses, I could see that it was a dark green stallion wearing a black tactical jacket and black cap. He had sunglasses on his face, and was carrying a large knife strapped to his side. I scanned all of the windows. I saw no sign of a sentry posted in any of the windows. Their mistake.

We kept up our surveillance until nightfall. They had two guards making rounds on the outside of the warehouse, and I had their schedule down probably better than the mercenaries themselves. It was almost time to put my plan into motion. I poked a hole in the top of the canister of explosive black powder, and inserted a five inch length of fuse. The massive, boomerang-shaped kukri knife went onto the back of my saber belt, giving me my beloved sabre, my bowie knife, and the huge kukri to work with.

"Alright Dashie, my love..." I whispered. "We move. We take out the guards outside, then you stand watch outside by those crates. Stay hidden, and take down anypony who happens by. I'm gonna sneak in, and find Budder. Once I do, I'm gonna get her out, causing as much damage as possible. Grab her when she's on the outside. If I don't make it out, you get her to Celestia, and tell her what happened. Get Shackleford and the EBI down here. Got it?"

"I got it...but Drake..." Dash whispered. "Don't say you ain't coming back. This isn't some suicide mission, you know? We need you. I don't care what you have to do in there, but you're coming out with your sister. You gotta make it out, you got _that_?" I looked into my marefriend's eyes a silent moment, and nodded.

"I'll try. I promise." I said. I let out a sigh. "Alright. Gimme a kiss." Dashie leaned in, and we shared a deep, passionate kiss before our mission. "Let's go."

We moved silently to the lot beside the warehouse, keeping to the shadows. Once we had reached the fence, we stopped for a moment, hiding behind a stack of barrels to let the patrol walk by. We started to move again, when an unexpected event occurred that struck home the dark nature of the smugglers' operation. A wagon pulled to a halt outside of the warehouse gate, and the two sentries immediately moved to greet the newcomer. Dash and I watched curiously as two zebras stepped from the vehicle. The duo were large, strongly-built stallions, and I deduced they were some of General Uvwheat's soldiers. The zebras were escorted to the warehouse, and led inside. Soon, another carriage approached. We watched a light brown stallion climb out. Again, the guards greeted the newcomer, who to my surprise was all too familiar.

"Recognize that stallion?" I whispered to Dash. She shook her head 'no'. "That's the damned secretary or whatever that was at the back of Deputy Director Dragnet's office both times we were there. Now we know how Gray knew who we were." The guards escorted the traitorous EBI agent into the warehouse the same as they had the zebras. Once things had quieted down, we crept under the fence, and moved to the stack of crates next to the side wall of the warehouse. I motioned for Dash to get down behind the crates, and I pulled my sabre, crouching down in the shadows.

Soon, the first sentry walked past. I kept my eye on him. It was the second guard, a yellow earth pony stallion in black tactical clothing. He carried a short sword, and I wasn't about to even give him a chance to draw the weapon. As he passed underneath the crate I crouched upon, I jumped down, bringing the blade of my weapon down on the back of his neck in a powerful cut. Mortally wounded, he fell to the ground. I finished him with a thrust into his chest. I knew the other sentry would be coming from the opposite direction in a few moments, so I hurried to the corner of the warehouse and waited. As soon as he rounded the corner, I jumped to the side, squaring myself away in front of him. Before he could react at all, I sliced out with my sabre, cutting his throat cleanly, an almost instant kill. I wiped the my sword's curved blade on the mercenary's jacket and slid it back into its sheath before dragging the pony over to the body of his comrade, out of sight to anypony who happened to be out front. I nodded to Dash, and climbed upon the crates toward a small open window.

I peered inside, and noticing that a stack of crates obscured the window from the floor of the warehouse, I slid inside, landing on a metal catwalk. I pulled my kukri knife, knowing that a sword was next to useless in such tight quarters, and moved along the walkway. I heard hoofsteps, and halted beside a corner formed by the back wall and several of the large wooden boxes. I spun the kukri around into an underhoof grip, and as one of the hired thugs came around the corner, I plunged the large blade into his chest. He let out a gasp, and I grabbed him in a deadly hug, shoving the blade in deeper. I felt him go limp, and drew the knife out. I continued on.

I soon heard voices on the other side of the crates, and climbed up on the boxes to get a look at the scene on the warehouse floor. Peeking through a gap in two crates, I saw Mister gray, with six of his goons behind him, talking to the zebras and the crooked EBI agent. I perked up my ears to hear what they were saying.

"Yes, gentlemen...all of the diamonds are safe." Gray was saying to the zebras. "I have held up my end of the bargain, and now, we can mobilize at once, and finish the deal. A boat is standing by that will take the diamonds home. The resulting military actions between Maretania and Equestria will free up the General to accomplish his goals of gaining absolute power in the region. I'm sure this pleases you...and your commander." Gray smiled.

"The General is pleased." One of the zebra replied in a thick accent. "And you will receive your...compensation...one you have reached the General's country."

"You hear that?" Gray said aloud to his soldiers. "Soon as we get the diamonds back to the General, we'll be able to buy our way into any country we _want_!" The mercenaries cheered. "The amount, gentlemen...I trust General Uvwheat has the money in hoof?"

"Yes, Mister Gray..." The other zebra replied. "Fifteen million in gold. That was our agreement, yes?"

"Yes, indeed." Gray returned. I thought on that. Fifteen million was more than the diamonds were worth. Gray wasn't _selling_ the diamonds back to the General. I remembered the conversation between Back Alley and Shady Deals. This wasn't a simple smuggling operation or a theft. Gray wasn't making money from trading the diamonds. He was getting paid for babysitting them. This wasn't about a heist. It was about a war.

"I've kept up my end of the agreement too." The EBI agent chimed in. "I've kept you up-to-date on everything the EBI was doing, and even got you the names of those two Army detectives that were snooping around." Mr. Gray and the mercenaries stared at the agent a moment. "Where is my reward, Mister Gray?"

"Oh yes, can't forget about you." Gray said, walking up to the traitor. "If I remember now...I promised you that you'd be famous, and never have to worry about working again, right?"

"That's right...and you said you'd make sure I wouldn't get caught too. I'd like to cash in now."

"Alright. I'm as good as my word." Gray smiled, putting his left hoof over the EBI agent's shoulder. I watched as the crime boss quickly pulled a switchblade and thrust it into the agent's corrupt heart. He pulled the knife free, and let the pony fall to the floor, writhing in agony until his body lay still in a puddle of blood. "Heh. Now, you'll be famous. You saw all this going down, and tried to stop us singlehoofed." Gray said to the corpse. "You'll be a hero...oh, and you'll never have to worry about getting caught now...and neither will we." He took out a handkerchief and wiped the blade of his knife before folding it and putting it back into the pocket of his leather jacket.

I silently moved away from the scene below. I had to find my sister. I glanced up. Like in all of these warehouses, there was office space on the second floor, above the warehouse floor. I moved quietly up the stairs until I came to the door. The frosted glass prevented me from seeing how many ponies were inside, but I assumed that since the criminals felt secure here, and Budder was just a foal, there wouldn't be more than one or two guards inside the office. I silently tried the doorknob to find it locked. I pulled my bowie knife and knocked on the door.

"Yeah?" A voice from inside asked.

"Yeah, Gray sent me up here. He needs me to grab some papers from in there. Open up!" The pony inside opened the door, and as soon as he realized he'd made a mistake, it was too late. My knife plunged into his neck, and as I slid it out, he fell to the floor, gasping for breath. I stepped over the dying badpony into the room. Another pony came out around the corner. Too far away to use my knife, I dropped the weapon and charged the guard, kicking him with my forehooves, all of my body weight behind the attack. He stumbled backwards and through the open window. Seconds later, I heard the dull thud of his body striking the lot below. I quickly searched the room for any more mercenaries. Just as I'd figured, there were none.

"Sis?" I called in a loud whisper. "Budder, are you in here?"

"Mmm!" A muffled voice cried from a closet. I opened the door to see my little sister tied to a chair, a handkerchief tied in her mouth as a gag. I quickly pulled my kukri and cut her ropes. Budder fell forward into my forelegs and tore the rag from her mouth.

"Bubby..." She sobbed into my shoulder. "I thought I was gonna die...they said...the pony in the black coat...he said he was gonna kill me and kill you and..."

"Shhhh..." I reassured her. "I'm here now...okay? We're gettin' out of here."

"There's a bunch of those army ponies..." My sister said fearfully.

"Oh, they're not army ponies. They're just mercenaries." I said back. Budder looked up at me and I smiled confidently.

"So you're...better...than them?" She asked. "Right?"

"I like to think so." I replied. "Now...we gotta get out of here, but it ain't gonna be easy. Those idiots down there are trying to start a war, and bubby has to stop them. You gotta do what I say, when I say it, okay?" She hugged me tightly.

"I trust you." She whispered.

"Alright...come on, Budder." I said. We made our way back through the office area, and I retrieved my bowie from off the floor on the way out. We paused at the top of the stairs, looking down into the warehouse below. The congregation of malefactors were still at their business, not bothering to look up at the landing. I untied the homemade bomb from my belt, and took the match I had secured to the can with a strip of tape. "Sis..." I whispered. I prepared to strike the match. "This is gonna be...loud."

"Big...boom?" She asked, her eyes growing wide in amazement."

"Yup." I agreed. Time for a show. "Hello boys!" I shouted, lighting the match. The group looked up. I lit the fuse, and tossed the bomb into the mass of criminals. "Huzzah for the cavalry!" I bellowed, shoving my sister to the landing and laying atop her to shield her. A massive explosion shook the building, and I was quickly on my hooves. I pulled my sister up, and led her down the stairs. A crossbow arrow whizzed past us and struck the wall just before we reached the safety of the crates. I pulled the Kukri as we hurried along the hall formed by the wall and the boxes. A mercenary jumped down from on top of the crates and crashed into me. I fell back against the wall. The thug tried to punch me, but I blocked his blow, only to get hit with his other hoof. The pony reared back to punch me again, but suddenly lurched sideways. My sister had bucked him hard in the ribs, and it gave me the opportunity I needed to deliver a punch into his face, and dive clear. I drew my sabre and thrust forward, my blade finding its mark.

"Thanks for the save, sis." I grinned. "Come on." We made it around the corner, but no further. We were stopped by two mercenaries holding crossbows on us. I sighed, and dropped my sabre. I looked back and Budder, and my sister gazed forlornly into my eyes. This had just gotten very, very bad.

 _Just when you thought everything was gonna be alright, Drake and Budder get captured. Bet you didn't see that coming. What did you all think about the conspiracy devised by the international criminals? Now what's going to happen? You'll find out soon enough. I'll try to have the next chapter up tonight, and wrap the story up tomorrow. Then, after a couple fun little short stories, I can begin on Volume 5. Until next time, thanks for reading, everypony. -Drake_


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

 _As promised, chapter 14. Can't believe I was able to get this one written so quickly. I wanted to get it done tonight, and I know none of you could wait to see what happened to Drake and Budder, so here it is. Hope you like._

Budder and I were led out onto the main floor of the warehouse by the two ponies with crossbows, as well as one more carrying a sword. I now noticed that one of the crossbow-wielding ponies was the black stallion from the hotel, and he still carried his big commando knife. As we were ushered out into the open area, I looked around at the destruction I had caused. My crude bomb had left a three meter wide black circle in the middle of the cement floor. Three of the mercenaries and one zebra had been killed by the blast. I regretted that I hadn't gotten them all. As we were walked toward a very angry-looking Mr. Gray, I regretted even more that I hadn't been able to kill the ringleader of this operation.

"You..." Gray growled. "You've become a damned thorn in my side, detective..."

"And you in mine, sir." I replied flatly. I knew I still had at least one ace-in-the-hole. Dashie was still outside, and maybe she even knew what was going on right now. I just had to stall long enough for her to make her move. I counted four mercenaries and a zebra left, besides Mr. Gray.

"Disarm him." Gray ordered. One of the sword-wielding ponies sheathed his weapon and divested me of my sabre belt and all of my weapons. "Bring the foal to me." Budder was forced over to Mr. Gray, who held her in front of him like a pony shield. "Exactly who are you?" He asked.

"Lieutenant Dragoon Sabre, Military Police Division." I replied.

"Military...Police..." Gray mused. "And what the Hell are you doing poking around in my business and killing my team?" I glanced at Budder a moment, and swallowed hard. If there was any hope of saving my sister and ending this without tragedy, I had to keep this going as long as possible.

"I dunno how much you paid for your team of mercenaries..." I said. "But you should definitely get a refund."

"Less ponies I have to pay." Gray shrugged. "One question...detective, why the hell'd you come packing a sword? Why not a crossbow?" I glanced over at Mr. Knife Guy, pointing his crossbow pistol at my head.

"Never really used crossbows much. Don't like 'em."

"Heh. You have balls, Lieutenant, was it? I'll give you that." Come on, Dash...where are you?

"Hey boss..." A red pegasus called, entering the room. He had Dashie at sword point, forcing her to walk before him. So much for my element of surprise. "Found this one outside. She killed Brushfire."

"You find Shore and Dim?" Gray asked.

"Yessir. They're outside. Dead." Gray looked at me hatefully.

"Your handywork, I assume?" He spat. "Almost won, didn't you detective?"

"Well..." I began. "It was two against twenty. We got eleven."

"Heh. Maybe I should have gotten you to work for _me_." Gray stated. "This seems like a waste of your talent, dying like this."

"Who says I'm gonna die?" I inquired. Gray narrowed his eyes, losing patience with me.

"You impudent little shit. I'll tell you what's about to happen. I'm gonna kill your marefriend there..." I looked at Dashie, and we met eyes, silently saying 'I love you'. "Then, I'm gonna kill your little filly. And you get to watch. When I'm through, we're gonna take _you_ apart nice and slow." I assessed the situation. Dash had two ponies with swords behind her. The black stallion was standing to my right with a crossbow to my head, and another pony with a crossbow stood on the other side of me. The sword-wielding pony stood off to the side next to the unarmed zebra. Alright, there may be a way out of this. We all three were more than likely gonna die, but I wasn't about to be executed. It was stand there and be killed, or fight and be killed. I sighed. At least I was going to die knowing I was loved.

"You wanna say anything to the little one before she dies?" Gray asked, pulling out his switchblade and preparing to flick it open.

"Sis, fight!" I yelled. I shoved the black stallion's crossbow aside and drew his large knife. In a desperate move, I stabbed back, managing to seriously wound the second crossbow-pony. Dash bucked the ponies behind her hard, and seized one of the swords, using it to engage the two mercenaries. I turned my attention back to the black stallion, who tried to aim his weapon again. I could not hesitate. Now or never. I slashed the stallion's wrist with his own knife, and he dropped the crossbow. With a powerful lunge, I plunged his knife into his chest.

At the moment of my own attack, Budder kicked the crime boss in the leg, then bit his arm. He howled in pain, loosening his grip on my sister enough for her to break free, just in time for me to dive to the floor, and grab the crossbow pistol Mr. Knife Guy had dropped. With only a moment to aim, I fired, the arrow striking Mr, Gray in the forehead. His head snapped back, and he slumped to the floor.

"Said I didn't like crossbows. Didn't say I couldn't use 'em..." I muttered.

With that, it was over. The entire fight had lasted only a few seconds. With my heart pounding, I stood and looked around, panting. The pony with the sword and the zebra were frozen in place. The rest of the mercenaries were dead. I had never been up against odds like that before, not even in the badlands. This was the deadliest situation I had ever been in in my life. My adrenaline was still pumping. Somehow, we'd survived. Somehow. Okay...calm down Drake. Get your head on straight. Prioritize. Dash. Sister. Suspects.

"Dashie...you good?"

"I'm fine!" She called.

"Read those two their rights." I said, nodding toward the remaining criminals.

"With...pleasure." Dashie replied, walking toward the two, stillholding the bloody sword. "You two! You have the _right_ to remain silent. You have the _right_ to a lawyer, and you have the _right_ to get your butts kicked if you don't go peacefully!"

"Sis?" I said softly, approaching my sister as she looked down at the body of Mr. Gray. She looked up at me.

"Bubby..." She replied in a whisper. "Are you okay?" I was surprised. After all she had been through, she asked me if _I_ were okay.

"Yeah, I'm alright, Budder..." I spoke, hugging her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm better _now_." She said. I broke the embrace and knelt down before her.

"Look..." I sighed. "You don't know how sorry I am that this happened. I'm so sorry that you had to go through all this...and I understand..." I felt tears forming in my eyes. "Sis, I understand if you don't want to be part of this...all of _this_ , I mean. We can take you back to the school tomorrow if you want...okay?" My sister sniffed, tears rolling down her tan cheeks.

"Are you kidding Drake?" She squeaked. "This is like...the most awesome family ever! I ain't leaving your side. I love you." She hugged me tightly. "No...I can't go back to that school. I wanna stay with you and have all kinds of awesome adventures."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I don't want you to get hurt..."

"Is it my choice, bub?" She asked seriously, pulling back and looking me in the eyes.

"Of course, sis."

"Then...I'm staying." She stated. Her lips curled up into a smile. "But you gotta take me on more of your cases and adventures and stuff."

"Don't anything get you down?" I asked, looking at her curiously.

"Nope!" She grinned. She looked around the warehouse. "Well...not this kinda stuff, at least." She shrugged. I smiled. Dashie was right, this was _so_ my sister.

"EBI!" A familiar voice called as the door to the warehouse was kicked open. "Nopony move!" I sighed and watched Agent Shackleford burst into the building with a dozen EBI agents behind him. When he saw me, Shackleford stopped and shook his head. He looked around the large room, then trotted over. The agent pulled his sunglasses down on his muzzle and stared at me as if expecting an explanation for something.

"You know, Lieutenant Drake..." He began. Oh boy, here it comes. "When I got a report of an explosion at a warehouse, and somepony reporting a stallion taking a swan-dive out of a window...I said to myself 'Rusty...that had to be some of Drake's shenanigans. You'd better check it out." He looked around the room again as two of his agents hoofcuffed the pony and the zebra. "And you didn't leave much room for due process, did you?"

"Well, they attacked first." I replied with a smile. "I call self-defense on this one, Rusty." The agent sighed.

"Drake...just...damn it, every time you get involved in one of my investigations, my paperwork backs up for a week!"

"Well...we got the diamonds...correction...YOU got the diamonds. There in here somewhere. Oh, and there's the EBI agent who was leaking all the information. The head cheese over there iced him before I started cleaning house. I'll leave you to it then, Agent Shackleford." I grinned at him. "I'm goin' home. I'm tired of jewel thieves and mercenaries and international incidents. I need a vacation."

"Only you, Lieutenant..." Shackleford groaned, shaking his head lightly.

"See you next time, Rusty." I said happily. "Come on guys, let's get paid and go home."

 _Enjoy? I hope so. I'll try to have the last chapter up tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow starts the weekend, and that means I'm off for a couple days. Drake and Budder adventure time and all. Monday starts a new week and another story. Prepare yourselves for that. As for now, please send me questions or comments in the form of reviews or PM's. I love hearing from my readers and fans. Until next chapter, thanks for reading, everypony!_


	15. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

 _Sorry for the delay in getting the last chapter up. Stuff happened, and then there was more stuff with the stuff, and...well you get the idea. I do not know for sure if and when I will begin volume 5. There's more...stuff...going on. Hopefully, it will be this week if things go well. If not, I have advised my fiancee to begin volume 5 for me within the month if I am unable to do so. So anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the story, and the ending. I look forward to seeing your comments. Thanks for reading, everypony. Now here is the epilogue to The Drake Chronicles Volume 4..._

We stood before our house on the outskirts of the city. The criminal ring was broken. The diamonds were recovered, and war with Maretania had been averted. More so, Celestia had sent three regiments of Equestrian troops to Maretania with the diamonds, and now the consolidated force of Equestrian and Maretanian troops were rooting out General Kareem Uvwheat and his forces. Our ordeal with the criminal ring was over, and we were finally home again, and 18,000 bits richer. Well, make that 17,900 bits after I payed the bellcolt for his services. And fortunately the hotel didn't make us pay for damaged incurred during the attack by the mercenaries. My sister stood beside me, staring up at our two story house with emotion in her blue eyes.

"Woooaaaahhh..." She said, mesmerized.

"Welcome home, sis." I whispered, putting a hoof around her.

"I _am_ home." She replied. She smiled up at me. "Home's where _you_ are, bubby."

"Awwww..." Dash said sweetly. I mussed up Budder's mane with a noogie, making my sister giggle.

"Come on." I said, leading Budder up the steps onto the porch. "This is the key, in case you ever have to get in." I explained. I unscrewed the round finial on the porch railing and retrieved a key from the hole hidden underneath. "I keep it there so I don't lose it."

"Like you lost the last one?" Dash added.

"Shup." I grinned sheepishly.

"Or the one you dropped down the sewer?"

"Yeah sis...it's safer to keep the key where it is..." I mumbled, unlocking the door. I pushed open the front door and let Budder enter. She walked in, and looked to her right through the door into the formal parlor, then to her left through the door at the more modern living space. She looked back and forth a moment, then back at me with a puzzled expression.

"Um...whyyy do you have two living rooms?" She asked cutely.

"Well, they both came with the house, and it seemed a waste to just throw one out." I replied. She looked at me, trying to deduce whether I was joking or not. I grinned.

"I get my own set of stairs?" She asked. I looked back at Dashie, then to my sister.

"What do you mean?" I queried. All of a sudden, Budder galloped up the stairway, stopped at the top, plopped down, and promptly rolled down the stairs. When she had reached the bottom, she let out a loud giggle, then ran up the stairs, only to repeat the process again.

"What...are you...doing?!" I asked as my sister made it down the stairs the second time. She stood and grinned.

"Rollin' down da stairs!" She replied happily.

"You're weird." I commented.

"You love me though." Budder shot back. Dash laughed.

"She has energy, Drake..." My marefriend observed. "Sure you can handle this?" I watched my sister hug the newel post.

"I love this house." Budder said happily.

"Yeah...I think I can." I nodded to Dash. "You wanna see your room?" I asked.

"Yup!" My sister replied.

"Alright, back up the stairs." I motioned. She trotted up the staircase with me close behind. "Take a right at the top of the stairs. Door at the far end." Budder ran to the door and threw it open. "Sorry it's a bit of a mess and all...and I know it's not really that big..."

"Bub...bub..." She interrupted. "It's twice the size of my room at the school. And I don't have to share it with some annoying filly that snores."

"Heh. Alright then. That door is to the bathroom, and that one is for your closet. We'll have to get you some clothes and stuff to fill it."

"Can I have black clothes?" Budder asked.

"Um...sure?" I replied.

"And more books?" My sister added.

"I don't have a problem with that..."

"And swords?"

"Weelllll..." I replied nervously. I looked at my sister. I had had a young filly to take care of. I had to be a responsible adult now. "Be right back..." I left the room and returned with a wooden practice saber made of strong hickory. "You can have this until you learn. How's that?"

"Hee." She grinned, taking the wooden weapon. She trotted across the room and sat it up at her bedside. Dash joined us in the room. "Now whatcha wanna do, bub" My sister asked.

"Well...first, I wanna clean this gaum, and you're gonna help."


End file.
